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(fERRY TALES 



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( 2 ) 





MERRY TALES 


BY 



ELEANOR L. SKINNER 


TEACHER OF ENGLISH, NORTH HIGH SCHOOL 
COLUMBUS, OHIO 


AND 

ADA M. SKINNER 


ST. AGATHA SCHOOL, CITY OF NEW YORK 




AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 

NEW YORK CINCINNATI CHICAGO 


Copyright, 1915, by 
ELEANOR L. SKINNER 

AND 

ADA M. SKINNER. 


E. P. I 



» 




bUG 24 1^1^ 

©GI.A410204 


f 


FOREWORD 


From a knowledge and love of children both 
extending through many years, I wish to speak of 
the pleasure and profit they will derive from read- 
ing and possessing Merry Tales. 

To keep children sane and sweet they must be 
given bright and cheery stories to read. They will 
find them in Merry Tales. Early in life they 
should learn something of myths and folklore. 
These tales are founded on these old treasures, but 
are charmingly adapted to the understanding of 
present-day children. I have read few books for 
children possessing such literary value and yet us- 
ing words that children can master without diffi- 
culty, thereby being able to enjoy their own reading. 

I hope that Merry Tales will find a place not 
only in the schoolroom for that time of delight in 
a well-taught school, — ‘‘the period for supplemen- 
tary reading,'’ — but that parents may find the book 
out to place it in the child’s own library, a thing 
that a child must have if it is ever to have in later 
life the joys of a genuine booklover. 

MARGARET W. SUTHERLAND, 

Principal of the Columbui Normal School. 


PREFACE 

The stories in this collection have been chosen, 
first, because they are stories children have always 
loved, and second, because they are free from much 
of the grewsome or grotesque which figures in so 
many of the folk tales and fables of the past. Al- 
though there are elements of surprise and danger 
in the adventures of the various characters, yet each 
story ends happily. The little book is intended as 
a supplementary reader for children in the third or 
fourth year of school and the vocabulary has been 
carefully graded to meet that need. Some of the 
stories have dramatic qualities and will be found to 
lend themselves readily to dramatization. 


6 


CONTENTS 


The Monkey and the Crocodile 
The Hillman and the Housewife 
The Fishing Party . 

The Forest Bailiff . 

Bruin and Reynard Partners 
The Three Wishes . 

The Pigtail (Poem) . 

The Stone Lion 
The Story that had No End . 
The King’s Rabbit Keeper 
The Leaping Match . 

The Clever Turtle . 

Robin Goodfellow (Poem) 
Merlin’s Crag .... 
The Story of Li’l’ Hannibal . 
How Timothy won the Princess 
The Overturned Cart 
Chanticleer .... 
The Jackal and the Alligator 
Finn and the Fairy Shoemaker 
Making the Best of it . 


PAGE 


Jataka Tale . . . ii 

Juliana H. Ewing . 15 

Soidhern Folk Tale . 18 

Russian Legend . . 27 

Scandinavian Folk Tale 35 

Swedish Legend . . 39 


Translated by William 
Makepeace Thackeray '46 
Captain W. P. O"' Connor 48 


Old Folk Tale . . 54 

Norse Legend . . 62 

H. C. A7idersen . . 72 

East Indian Tale . . 79 

Percy'' s Reliques . . 83 

Irish Folk Tale . . 86 

Carolyn Sherwin Bailey cyj 
Irish Fairy Tale . .106 

Agnes C. Herbertson . 123 

Chaucer . . . -138 

East htdian Tale . *149 

Irish Legend . . .158 

Frances Fox . . -173 


7 


8 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The Brownie of Blednock . Elizabeth Grierson . 178 

How Olaf brought the Brownie 

Back Old English Tale . .189 

The Poor Little Turkey Girl F. Cushing . . -197 

Meadow Fiddlers (Poem) . Agnes McLellan Daulton 21 1 
Castle Fortune . r — . German Legend . .213 

A Little Dutch Garden (Poem) Harriet Durban . . 222 

1 True Friendship . . . Translated from the 

Greek by Mrs. Symohds 224 

] 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 


For permission to reprint, or to use in adapted 
form, certain copyrighted and valuable material in 
this volume, the following acknowledgments are 
made : 

To Sturgis and Walton Company, for ‘‘The 
Stone Lion,” by Captain W. P. O’Connor, from 
Story Telling in School and Home^ copyright, T9 12, by 
Sturgis and Walton Company; 

To Carolyn Sherwin Bailey and the publishers 
of Good Housekeepings for “ The Story of Li’l’ Han- 
nibal,” reprinted by permission of Good House- 
keeping ; 

To the Grolier Society, publishers of The Book of 
Knowledge s for “ How Olaf Brought the Brownie 
Back ” ; 

To George H. Doran Company, for “The Over- 
turned Cart ” from Cap O'TelloWs by Agnes Crozier 
Herbertson ; 

To Frances Fox and The Outlook Company, for 
“ Making the Best of It ” ; 

9 


lO 


ACitNOWLEDGMENTS 


To Elizabeth Grierson and Frederick A. Stokes 
Company, publishers of Scottish Fairy Fales^ for 
‘‘ The Brownie of Blednock ” ; 

To F. Cushing and G. P. Putnam’s Sons for 
“The Poor Little Turkey Girl” from Zuhi Folk 
Fales ; and 

To T. Fisher Unwin for “True Friendship.” 


THE MONKEY AND THE 
CROCODILE 


T is no use trying to live 
here any longer,” thought 
the monkey, looking 
down, from his home in 
the tree, at a big crocodile 
sleeping on the sunlit 
bank of the river. 
“ Whenever that creature 
opens his great mouth, I shudder to think 
what might happen if I were near.” 

Just then the crocodile yawned. Wider 
and wider and wider he opened his mouth. 
Away whisked the monkey to the topmost 
branch of the tree. 

“ This very day I shall move farther down 
the river ! ” he said. 

So the monkey slipped away to a tree about 




12 THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE 

half a mile distant. There he lived peaceably 
for some time. He was delighted with his 
new home. The water was cool and clear. 
In the middle of the stream was an island 
covered with fruit trees.. 

It was very easy to reach the little island. 
One leap from his tree brought the monkey 
to the end of a large rock which jutted out 
into the river ; another leap brought him to 
the island, where he could get a fine feast and 
frisk about all the day long. In the evening 
he went back to his home in the great tree 
on the river’s bank. 

One day he stayed later than usual on the 
island. When he came to the water’s edge, 
he looked and blinked and looked and 
blinked ! “ How strange that rock looks ! ” 

he said to himself. ‘‘ Surely it was never so 
high before ! What can be the matter with 
it ? ” Suddenly the monkey’s heart beat very 
fast. The crocodile was lying on the top of 
that rock ! 

‘‘ Oho ! Mr. Crocodile,” thought the 
monkey, “ I see I must put my wits to work 


THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE 


13 


very, very quickly indeed if I am to escape 
from you ! ” 

“ Good evening, Big Rock,” he called. 

The crocodile lay very still. 

“ This is a fine evening. Big Rock ! ” called 
the monkey. 

The crocodile lay very, very still. 

“ What is the matter. Big Rock ? You 
have always been a good friend of mine. 
Why are you so silent this evening?” 

Then the crocodile thought, “ Now I see 
I must pretend to be the rock, or the monkey 
may not come this way to-night.” So with 
his mouth shut he mumbled as best he could, 
‘‘ Good evening, Mr. Monkey.” 

“Oh! Is that you, Mr. Crocodile?” said 
the monkey, pleasantly. “ Tm afraid I have 
awakened you ! ” 

“ Never mind that,” said the crocodile, 
raising his head. “ Come, make your leap ! 
You cannot escape me this time.” 

“ No, I’m afraid not,” said the monkey, 
meekly. 

And all the time he was thinking, “ Croc- 


14 THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE 

odiles shut their eyes when they open their 
mouths wide/’ 

‘‘ Come along and make haste, Monkey,” 
said the crocodile. 

“ Pm caught, that is sure, for I must 
leap your way. Well, as you say, I cannot 
escape you. Crocodile. Open your mouth. 
Oh, wider than that, please, if I am to leap 
into it. Wider ! There ! Here I go ! Ready ! ” 

Before the crocodile knew what was hap- 
pening, the monkey gave three bounds — first 
to the top of the crocodile’s head, — then to 
the bank, — then to his tree. Away he 
whisked to the topmost branch. 

“ Thank you, Mr. Crocodile,” he called. 


THE HILLMAN AND THE HOUSE- 
WIFE 


NE day a hillman knocked 
at the door of a selfish 
housewife. 

‘‘ Can you lend me a 
saucepan, good mother ? ” 
said he. ‘‘ There’s a 
1 wedding in the hill, and 
all the pots are in use.” 

“ Is he to have one ? ” asked the servant 
girl who had opened the door. 

“ Ay, to be sure,” said the housewife. But 
when the maid was taking a saucepan from 
the shelf, the housewife whispered slyly to 
her, “ Do not lend him a good pan ; get the 
old one out of the Cupboard. It leaks, and 
the hillmen are so neat and such nimble 
workers that they are sure to mend it before 
they send it home. So one does a good turn 
and saves sixpence from the tinker.” 



i6 THE HILLMAN AND THE HOUSEWIFE 


The maid fetched the old saucepan which 
had been laid by till the tinker’s next visit 
and gave it to the dwarf, who thanked her 
and went away. 

The saucepan was soon returned neatly 
mended and ready for use. At supper time 
the maid filled the pan with milk and set it 
on the fire for the children’s supper, but in a 
few minutes the milk was so burned and 
smoked that no one could touch it. Even 
the pigs would not drink the wash into which 
the milk was thrown. 

“Ah, you good-for-nothing girl ! ” cried 
the housewife as this time she filled the pan 
herself. “ Your careless ways would ruin the 
richest. There’s a whole quart of milk spoiled 
at once.” 

“ A quart of milk costs twopence ! ” cried 
a queer small voice from the chimney corner. 

The housewife had not left the saucepan 
for two minutes when the milk boiled over 
and was all burned and smoked as before. 

“ The pan must be dirty,” cried the house- 
wife in a rage ; and there are two full quarts 


THE HILLMAN AND THE HOUSEWIFE 17 

of milk as good as thrown to the dogs. Oh, 
what dreadful waste ! ’’ 

“Two quarts of milk cost fourpence ! ” 
cried the queer small voice. 

After a long scrubbing, the saucepan was 
once more filled with milk and set on the fire, 
but in a little while the milk was burned and 
smoked again. 

The housewife burst into tears at the waste, 
and cried out, “ Never before did such a thing 
happen to me since I kept house ! Three 
quarts of milk burned for one meal.” 

“ Three quarts of milk cost sixpence ! ” 
cried the queer small voice. “You didn’t 
save the tinker after all ! ” 

Then the hillman himself came tumbling 
down the chimney and went off laughing 
through the door. But from that time the 
saucepan was as good as any other. 


THE FISHING PARTY 


NE clear, warm evening 
about sunset Brother Rab- 
bit was walking down a 
road which led to the old 
mill. He was saying to 
himself : ‘‘ It has been a 
week or more since I 
have had any fun. I do 
wish something would happen to make times 
a little livelier. Em — ” 

‘‘ A fine sunset, Brother Rabbit ! A penny 
for your thoughts. I do believe you would 
have passed me without speaking.’’ 

“ Good evening. Brother Terrapin,”* said 
the rabbit, stopping and holding out his hand 
in a most cordial way. ‘‘ I am very glad to 
see you, for I like your opinion immensely, 
ril tell you what I was thinking about, my 
friend. I was planning a little fishing party. 

i8 










THE FISHING PARTY 


21 


Come, let us sit down here on the roadside 
and talk it over.” 

Brother Terrapin replied : “ A fishing party ! 
That will be fine sport. We should become 
very dull indeed in this neighborhood, Brother 
Rabbit, if it were not for your plans. Have 
you decided whom to invite ? ” 

“Well,” said Brother Rabbit, “I think it 
unwise to invite too many. Perhaps five, in- 
cluding ourselves, are enough, because, you see, 
we must keep very quiet, and if the party is 
large, there is danger of too much merriment. 
Have you any particular friend who enjoys 
fishing ? ” 

“Oh, yes, indeed. Brother Bear is very 
quiet and sensible, and he loves to fish for mud 
turtles,” replied Brother Terrapin. 

“Well, I have in mind Brother Fox and 
Brother Wolf. Look, here they come ! What 
good luck ! Let us see what they think about 
the plan.” And the rabbit danced away up 
the road to meet his friends and tell them 
about the fishing party. 

“ Exactly the kind of sport I enjoy most,” 

skinner’s merry tales — 2 


22 


THE FISHING PARTY 


said Brother Wolf, interrupting Brother Rab- 
bit. “ ril fish for hornyheads. Come, 
Brother Fox, what do you say?’’ 

“ First, I wish to thank Brother Rabbit for 
his kind invitation,” said Brother Fox, politely. 
‘‘ Of course, you all know that I shall fish for 
perch, and I think I shall use a dip net. Good 
evening. Brother Terrapin. What an interest- 
ing party ours will be. What will you fish for ? ” 

“Oh,” laughed Brother Terrapin, “min- 
nows suit my taste very well.” 

“ All right,” said Brother Rabbit. “ Now 
let us meet at the mill pond about eight o’clock 
this evening. Brother Terrapin, may I trouble 
you to bring the bait ? The others will each 
bring a hook and line, and. Brother Fox, please 
do not forget your fine dip net. About twelve 
o’clock you are all invited to a fish supper at my 
house. Don’t forget the time and place of 
meeting. Farewell.” 

All hurried away to prepare for the evening’s 
amusement, and, at the appointed time, the five 
merry brothers met at the mill pond. 

Brother Rabbit was very anxious to begin ; 


THE FISHING PARTY 


23 


SO he baited his hook and stepped up to the 
very edge of the water. Then he stopped 
suddenly, looked straight down into the pond, 
dropped his fishing pole, and scratched his head. 

‘‘ Mercy ! ” said Brother F ox. “ What in the 
world is the matter with Brother Rabbit ? 
Let us slip up to him and see what is the 
trouble. Come, all together.” 

But Brother Rabbit turned and walked 
toward them, shook his head seriously, and 
said : No fishing to-night, my friends. We 
might as well go home.” 

“ What is it ? What did you see ? ” began 
the bear, the fox, and the wolf. Brother 
Terrapin crept up to the edge of the pond, 
looked straight into the water, jumped back, 
and said, “Tut, tut, tut! To be sure! To 
be sure ! ” 

“ Come, come, tell us. We cannot bear 
this suspense,” snapped the fox. 

Then Brother Rabbit said slowly, “ The 
moon has dropped into the mill pond, and 
if you don’t believe me, go and look for 
yourselves.” 


24 


THE FISHING PARTY 


“ Impossible ! ” cried Brother Bear. 

They all crept up to the edge of the pond 
and looked in and there they saw the golden 
moon right down in the clear water. 

‘‘ Isn’t that too bad ?” said Brother Wolf. 

“Well, well, well,” sighed Brother Fox; 
and Brother Bear shook his head slowly and 
said, “ The impossible has happened ! ” 

“ Now, ril tell you something,” began the 
rabbit, who was not to be easily daunted, 
“ we must get that moon out of the water 
before we begin to fish. I tell you truly no 
fish will bite while that great golden ball is 
near.” 

“Well, Brother Rabbit,” said the wolf, 
“ can’t you make a suggestion in this matter ? 
You usually know what to do.” 

“ I have it, my friends,” said the rabbit 
jumping up and down. “ I have it! I know 
where I can borrow a sieve. I’ll run and get 
it and then we can dip up the moon in no 
time. We’ll have our fishing party yet ! ” and 
off he ran. 

Brother Terrapin was thinking. In a little 


THE FISHING PARTY 


25 


while he looked up and said, “ My friends, 
I have often heard that there is a pot of gold 
in the moon.’’ 

“What’s that?” said Brother Fox, quickly. 

“ I was saying that my grandmother has 
often told me that there is a pot of gold in 
the moon. But here comes Brother Rabbit 
with the sieve.” 

“ My good friend,” said Brother Fox, 
“ you were kind enough to go after that 
sieve and now you must let Brother Bear, 
Brother Wolf, and myself do the work. No, 
don’t take off your coat. You are such a 
little fellow that it would be dangerous for 
you to go into the water. You and Brother 
Terrapin stand here on the bank and watch 
us. Come, give me the sieve.” 

So Brother Terrapin and Brother Rabbit 
stood on the bank and watched the others 
wade into the pond. 

They dipped the sieve down once. “No 
moon,” said Brother Bear. 

Again they dipped. “No moon,” said 
Brother Wolf. 


26 


THE FISHING PARTY 


“Come,” said Brother Fox, “we must 
go farther in.” 

“ Oh, do be careful, my friends,” called the 
rabbit, “ you are near a very deep hole.” 

Buzz, buzz ! The water was roaring in 
Brother Bear’s ears and he shook his head 
violently. Down went the sieve again. 

“ No moon,” sighed Brother Fox. “ A 
little farther out, friends. Now, down again 
with the sieve.” 

Splash ! Splash ! Splash ! Down they 
all went with the sieve. They kicked and 
tumbled and splashed as if they would throw 
all the water out of the mill pond. Then 
they swam for the shore and all came out 
dripping wet. “No moon,” said Brother 
Fox, sulkily. “ What ! No moon ? Well, 
well, well ! ” said Brother Rabbit. 

“Too bad! Too bad!” said Brother 

Terrapin. 

“ My friends,” said the rabbit, seriously, “ I 
think you ought to go home and put on some 
dry clothes. I do, indeed. And I hope we 
shall have better luck next time. Good night.” 


THE FOREST BAILIFF 


NCE upon a time a peas- 
ant owned a cat which 
was so disagreeable and 
mischievous that all the 
neighbors complained 
about him. Finally the 
peasant became impatient 
and said to his wife, “ I 
have decided to get rid of our cat. He is 
such a nuisance that I feel we ought not to 
keep him any longer.’" 

“ I do not blame you,” replied his wife. 
“ My patience, too, is worn out listening to the 
stories told about that mischievous animal.” 

In a few days the peasant put the cat into 
a large sack and walked far into a leafy forest. 
Then he opened the sack and let the cat 
bound away. How many interesting things 
there were in the depths of the beautiful wood ! 



27 


28 


THE FOREST BAILIFF 


After wandering about for a few hours the cat 
began to feel quite at home, especially when 
he found a little deserted cabin where he took 
up his abode and dined bountifully on mice 
and birds. 

One day when Master Cat was walking 
proudly along a path which led to a pond, he 
met Miss Fox, who looked at him with great 
interest and curiosity. When she came close 
enough to be heard, she said, “ Your pardon, 
good sir, but may I ask who you are, and 
why you are walking in the forest ? ’’ 

Master Cat raised his head very high and 
replied proudly: “ I am the bailiff of the forest. 
My name is Ivan, and I have been sent from 
Siberia to become governor of this vast wood.’’ 

“Oh, indeed,” said Miss Fox. “Dear 
Master Bailiff, will you not honor me with 
your presence at dinner? I shall be most 
proud to entertain such a distinguished guest.” 

“ Lady, I accept your invitation,” replied 
Master Cat, making a profound bow. 

Now Miss Fox knew well how to entertain. 
She not only provided the greatest delicacies 


THE FOREST BAILIFF 


29 


for her table, but she chatted in the merriest 
fashion and told the bailiff many interesting 
things about life in the forest. 

‘‘ My dear Sir Bailiff, do have another serv- 
ing of this savory pie. The forest, you know, 
gives one a good appetite,” said she, with a 
side glance at her visitor. 

“ Thank you, dear lady,” returned Master 
Ivan. ‘‘ It is indeed delicious. I have tasted 
nothing so good for weeks. What a cozy 
home you have here.” 

“ It is very comfortable,” replied Miss Fox. 
“ But I am often a little lonely. May I ask, 
sir, are you married or single ? ” 

“ I am single,” replied Mr. Bailiff. 

“ Why, so am I,” said his companion, drop- 
ping her eyes shyly. “ Master Ivan, the 
Bailiff, will you not marry me } ” 

The guest was a little astonished, but he 
finally consented to marry Miss Fox. Their 
wedding was attended with much ceremony, 
and the bailiff came to live in his wife’s cozy 
home. 

A few days after their marriage Ivan said: 


30 


THE FOREST BAILIFF 


“ Madam, I am very hungry. Go on a little 
hunting trip and bring me home a fine dinner.’’ 
Away went the wife toward a deep hollow. 
She had not gone very far when she met her 
old friend the wolf. 

“ Good morning, my dear friend,” he began. 
“ I have been looking in vain for you in the 
forest. Do tell me where you have been.” 

Madam Fox replied coyly: “Oh, I am 
married, you know. My husband'is the bailiff 
of the forest.” 

“ Indeed,” said the wolf. “ How I should 
like to see his honor, your husband.” 

“ That can be managed if you will follow my 
advice closely. You see, my husband is very 
ferocious, and unless you do as I say he might 
devour you. However, I’ll see what can be 
done. Let me see. Y ou had better get a lamb 
and place it on our doorstep. Then hide in 
the bushes which grow near. When my hus- 
band opens the door, you can get a very good 
look at him,” said Madam Fox, proudly. 

The wolf ran away in search of a lamb, and 
Madam continued on her way. In a short 


THE FOREST BAILIFF 


31 


time she met a bear. “ Good day, my good 
friend,” he said. “ I have missed you for 
some time. May I ask where you have been?” 

“ Oh,” said Madam, ‘‘ is it possible you 
have not heard of my marriage with Ivan, 
the bailiff of the forest ? ” 

‘‘ Is it true? Then I offer you my sincere 
congratulations ! The bailiff of the forest, 
you say ? ” said the bear, in a puzzled tone. 
‘‘ Madam, it would give me the greatest pleas- 
ure to see his honor, your husband.” 

‘‘Yes,” said Madam, “that would be a 
great privilege, but I must tell you that the 
bailiff is very fierce. In fact, he is likely to 
devour anyone who does not please him. But 
perhaps I can help you out a little. Let me 
see. You had better procure an ox. And be 
sure to offer your gift very humbly. The 
wolf, who is also most anxious to see my hus- 
band, is going to bring a lamb for a present.” 

Away went the bear in search of his gift, 
which he soon found; then he hurried clumsily 
along, and in a little while he met the wolf 
with a lamb. 


32 


THE FOREST BAILIFF 


“ Good day to you, my friend,’’ began the 
wolf. ‘‘ May I ask where you are going 
with such a burden ? ” 

“ I am going to see the husband of Madam 
Fox, to whom I shall give this ox. Will you 
tell me where you are going ? ” said the bear. 

‘‘ Why, I am bound for the same place, my 
friend. Madam Fox told me her husband is 
terrible. He devours anyone who displeases 
him, so I am taking a lamb for a present.” 
The wolf’s voice trembled a little as he con- 
tinued, “ I do hope he will take kindly to me.” 

The friends went on their way, and in a short 
time they came to the house of the cat. The 
wolf pushed the bear a little ahead and 
whispered, “ Go, my good comrade, knock 
on the door and say to the husband of Madam 
Fox that we have brought an ox and a lamb 
as gifts.” 

“ Oh,” shivered the bear, ‘‘ I dare not ! 
I am so filled with fear. Indeed, indeed, I 
cannot. You go, good wolf! Do.” 

“ Impossible,” returned the wolf, in a quak- 
ing voice. “ I am trembling all over. I 


THE FOREST BAILIFF 


33 


haven’t strength enough to walk there much 
less to rap on the door. Come, let us hide 
ourselves and bide our time.” 

So the wolf hid himself under some dry 
leaves, and the bear jumped into a tree and 
carefully hid himself among the branches. 
In a few moments Madam Fox and her hus- 
band, who had been walking in the forest, came 
home. 

“ How very small the bailiff is,” whispered 
the wolf. 

“ He is, indeed,” gasped the bear, a little 
scornfully. 

The cat now saw the ox and leaped to the 
step saying, “ Oh, a small meal for me.” 

“ A small meal,” said the bear, with surprise. 
“ How very, very hungry the bailiff must be! 
And he is so small, too. Why, a bull is a good 
meal for four bears. What an immense 
appetite he must have ! ” 

The wolf was too much frightened to answer. 
There was a slight rustling sound in the dry 
leaves and, thinking a mouse was hidden there, 
the cat gave a bound and fastened his claws 


34 


THE FOREST BAILIFF 


in the snout of the wolf. With a gasp of fear 
the wolf leaped up and ran away as fast as he 
could go. Now, the cat was very much afraid 
of a wolf, and so he gave one leap into the 
tree where the bear lay hidden. ‘‘ Oh, mercy, 
mercy ! ” cried the bear. “ The cat is after me. 
He will devour me. Oh, help, help!” and 
down the tree scrambled the bear. Off he 
ran, as fast as he could go, after the wolf. 
Madam Fox screamed out: ‘‘ My husband is 
terrible ! He will devour you ! He will 
devour you ! ” 

Away sped the wolf and the bear, and they 
told their adventure to the other animals of 
the forest, who took good care to stay far away 
from the terrible bailiff. Meanwhile the cat 
and the fox were very happy, and they had 
plenty to eat for a long time. 


BRUIN AND REYNARD PARTNERS 


NCE upon a time Bruin 
and Reynard were to 
plant a field in common 
and to share the crops 
in a fair way. “ If you’ll 
have the root, I’ll take 
the top,” said Reynard. 
Bruin thought that plan 

would do very well. 

The first year they sowed rye. But when 
they had thrashed out the crop, Reynard got 
all the grain and Bruin got nothing but roots 
and rubbish. He did not like that at all, but 
Reynard said that was how they had agreed 
to share the crop, and it was fair and right. 

‘‘ The tops come to me this year,” said Rey- 
nard, ‘‘ but next year it will be your turn. 
Then you will have the tops and I shall have 
to put -up with the roots.” 



35 


36 BRUIN AND REYNARD PARTNERS 

Spring came and it was time to sow again. 
Sly Reynard asked Bruin what he thought of 
sowing turnip seed for the second year’s crop. 

“Yes, yes,” said Bruin, “we will have tur- 
nips. Turnips are better food than rye.” 

Reynard agreed with him. Harvest time 
came. “We will divide the crops as is fair 
and right,” said Reynard. “ I get the roots 
this time and you get the tops.” So Reynard 
got all the turnip roots and Bruin the turnip 
tops. When Bruin saw what Reynard had 
done, he was very angry, and he put an end 
to his partnership with him at once. 








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( 38 ) 










THE THREE WISHES 


NCE upon a time in the 
heart of a forest lived a 
woodcutter and his wife. 
They were very poor in- 
deed. Their little cabin, 
built of rough-hewn logs, 
had only one room, which 
was very scantily and 
poorly furnished. One day the woodcutter 
said to his wife, 

“H ow miserable we are ! We work all 
day, and we have barely enough food to keep 
life in our bodies ! Surely there are few who 
work as hard as we do and have so little ! 

The housewife replied, ‘‘ Yes, indeed, we are 
very miserable.’’ 

“ Well, I’m off for another day’s work,” 
sighed the husband. “ My lot is too hard.” 

He picked up his ax and made his way to 

skinner’s merry tales — 3 39 



40 


THE THREE WISHES 


the place in the forest where he was to per- 
form his task. Suddenly, a dear little fairy 
whose face was wreathed in smiles danced into 
the path and stood before him. 

“ I am the wishing fairy,” she began. ‘‘ I 
heard what you said about your work and 
your life, and my heart aches for you. Now, 
because I am a fairy, it is in my power to 
grant you three wishes. Ask for any three 
things you desire and your wishes shall be 
granted.” The fairy disappeared in the twin- 
kling of an eye, and the woodcutter was left 
standing alone in the forest. Was he dream- 
ing ? He couldn’t believe his own senses ! 
He thought of a thousand wishes all in an 
instant. He would go home and talk the 
matter over with his wife. He turned in his 
path and retraced his steps to the cabin. 

‘‘Art thou ill?” demanded his wife, who 
came to the door. 

“ Oh, no, indeed, I am not ill ; I am very, 
very happy ! ” he burst forth. “ I met a fairy 
in the forest. She told me that she was very, 
very sorry for me, and that she would help me 


THE THREE WISHES 


41 


by granting three wishes. Think of it ! Any 
three wishes in the world will be granted by 
the charming fairy.’’ 

‘‘ Wonderful ! ” responded the housewife. 

“ Oh, how happy the very thought of it 
makes me ! Come, let us sit down and talk 
the matter over ; for I assure you it is not easy 
to come to a decision. I am indeed, very, 
very happy.” 

They drew up their chairs to the little table 
and sat down. 

“ I am so hungry,” began the woodcutter. 
‘‘ Let us have dinner, and then, while we are 
eating, we can talk about our wishes and see 
which three are nearest our hearts’ desires.” 

They began their humble meal immediately, 
and the husband continued : “ Of course one 
of our wishes must be great riches. What do 
you say ? ” 

“ Oh, yes, indeed,” said his wife. “ I 
should love a beautiful house to live in, also 
carriages and fine clothes, and servants and — ” 

“ Oh, for that matter,” said the husband, 
“ we could wish for an empire.” 


42 


THE THREE WISHES 


‘‘ Or rich jewels, such as great numbers of 
pearls and diamonds ! What a wish that 
would be,’^ said the wife, whose face was all 
aglow. 

“ I have it,” burst forth the woodman, “ let 
us wish for a fine large family, five sons and 
five daughters. Wh^t say you to that ? ” 

“ Oh ! ” returned his wife, “ I think I pre- 
fer six sons and four daughters.” 

So they continued weighing one wish with 
another until they seemed almost in despair 
about coming to a decision regarding which 
three wishes would be the wisest and best. 
They finally stopped talking and ate their 
simple food in silence. The woodcutter did 
not seem to relish his soup and dry bread. 

“ Oh,” he cried out suddenly, ‘‘ how I wish 
I had some nice savory sausage for dinner ! ” 
No sooner had the words fallen from his lips 
than a large dish of fine sausages appeared on 
the table. What a surprise ! The two were 
so astonished that for a few moments they 
could not speak. Then the wife said im- 
patiently : 


THE THREE WISHES 


43 


“ What do you mean by making such a 
foolish wish ? Do you not see that this dish 
of sausage means that one wish has been 
granted and that there are but two left ? 
How could you make such a stupid, stupid 
wish ? ’’ 

“ Well,’’ replied the husband, “ to be sure I 
have been foolish. I really did not think 
what I was saying. However, we may still 
wish for great riches and an empire.” 

‘‘ Humph ! ” grumbled the wife, “ we may 
wish for riches and an empire, but what about 
a fine large family ? Y ou have certainly been 
foolish in wishing for that horrid sausage. I 
suppose, however, you prefer sausage to a 
fine family ; ” and she burst out into tears of 
lamentation, crying: “ How could you? How 
could you be so foolish ? Oh, dear ! Oh, 
dear ! How very foolish and stupid you have 
been.” 

Finally her husband lost all patience and 
cried out: ‘‘I’m tired of your grumbling! I 
wish the sausage were on the end of your 
nose 1 ” 


44 


THE THREE WISHES 


In an instant the sausage was fastened to the 
end of the poor woman’s nose. How comical 
she did look ! The husband and wife were 
so astonished that they could not speak. The 
poor woman again burst into tears. 

“ Oh ! ” she cried. ‘‘ How could you ? 
How could you ? First, you wished for 
sausage, and second, you wished that the 
sausage were fastened to my poor nose. It is 
terrible. It is cruel. Two wishes have been 
granted. There remains but one ! Oh, 
dear, dear ! ” , 

The husband, who now saw what a dreadful 
mistake he had made, said meekly, 

‘‘We may still wish for great riches.” 

“ Riches indeed ! ” snapped his wife. 
“ Here I am with this great sausage fastened 
to the end of my nose. What good would 
riches do me ? How ridiculous I am. It is 
all your fault. I was so happy at the thought 
of great riches, beautiful jewels, and a fine 
family, and now I am sad and miserable.” 
She continued to weep so pitifully that her 
husband’s heart was touched. 


THE THREE WISHES 


45 


‘‘ I wish with all my heart that the sausage 
were not on your nose/’ he said. In an instant 
the sausage disappeared. There the two sat 
lamenting ; but as the three wishes had been 
granted there is nothing further to be said. 




There lived a sage in days of yore, 

And he a handsome pigtail wore ; 

But wondered much and sorrowed more 
Because it hung behind him. 

He mused upon the curious case, 

And vowed he’d change the pigtail’s place. 
And have it hanging at his face. 

Not dangling there behind him. 

Says he, “ The mystery I’ve found. 

I’ll turn me round,” — He turned him 
round, — 

But still it hung behind him. 

Then round and round and out and in. 

All day the puzzled sage did spin 
In vain ; it mattered not a pin. 

The pigtail hung behind him. 

46 


THE PIGTAIL 


47 


And up and down and in and out 
He turned, but still the pigtail stout 
Hung dangling there behind him : 

And though his efforts never slack, 

And though he twist and twirl and tack, 
Alas ! still faithful to his back 
The pigtail hangs behind him. 



THE STONE LION 


NCE there were two 
brothers who lived with 
their mother in a 
house on a farm. Their 
father was dead. The 
older brother was clever 
and selfish, but the 
younger was kind and 
gentle. The older brother did not like the 
younger because he was so honest that he 
never could get the best of a bargain. One 
day he said to him: “You must go away. 
I cannot afford to support you any longer.” 

So the younger brother packed all his be- 
longings, and went to bid his mother good-by. 
When she heard what the older brother had 
done, she said, “ I will go with you, my son. 
I will not live here any longer with so hard- 
hearted a man as your brother.” 



48 



THE STONE LION 


49 


The next morning the mother and the 
younger brother started out together. Toward 
night when they reached the foot of the hill, 
they came to a hut with nothing in it except 
an ax which stood behind the door. But 
they managed to get their supper and stayed 
in the hut all night. 

In the morning they saw that on the side 
of the hill near the hut was a great forest. 
The son took the ax, went up on the hill- 
side and chopped enough wood for a load 
to carry to the town on the other side of the 
hill. He easily sold it, and with a happy heart 
brought back food and some clothing to make 
his mother and himself comfortable. 

“Now, mother,” he said, “ I can earn enough 
to keep us both, and we shall be happy here 
together.” 

One day, in search of timber, the boy went 
farther up the hill than he had ever gone be- 
fore. As he climbed up the steep hillside, he 
suddenly came upon a lion carved from stone. 

“ Oh,” thought the boy, “ this must be the 
guardian spirit of the mountain. I will make 


50 


THE STONE LION 


him some offering to-morrow morning with- 
out fail.” 

That night he bought two candles and car- 
ried them to the lion. He lighted them, 
put one on each side of the lion, aild asked 
that his own good fortune might continue. 

As he stood there, suddenly the lion opened 
his great stone mouth and said : 

‘‘ What are you doing here ? ” 

The boy told him how cruel the elder 
brother had been ; how the mother and him- 
self had been obliged to leave home and live 
in a hut at the foot of the hill. When he had 
heard all of the story, the lion said : 

“ If you will bring a bucket here to-mor- 
row and put it under my mouth, I will fill it 
with gold for you.” 

The next day the boy brought the bucket. 

“ You must be very careful to tell me when 
it is nearly full,” said the lion, ‘‘ for if even 
one piece of gold should fall to the ground, 
great trouble would be in store for you.” 

The boy was very careful to do exactly as 
the lion told him, and soon he was on his way 


THE STONE LION 


51 


home to his mother with a bucketful of gold. 
They were so rich now that they bought a 
beautiful farm and went there to livQ. 

At last the hard-hearted brother heard of 
their good fortune. He had married since 
his mother and brother had gone away, so he 
took his wife and went to pay a visit to his 
younger brother. It was not long before he 
had heard the whole story of their good 
fortune, and how the lion had given them all 
the gold. 

“ I will try that, too,” he said. 

He and his wife went to the same hut his 
brother had lived in, and there they passed 
the night. 

The next morning he started out with a 
bucket to visit the stone lion. When he had 
told the lion his errand, the lion said : 

“ I will grant your wish, but you must be 
very careful to tell me when the bucket is 
nearly full ; for if even one little piece of gold 
touches the ground, great misery will surely 
fall upon you.” 

Now the elder brother was so greedy that 


52 


THE STONE LION 


he kept shaking the bucket to get the gold 
pieces closer together. And when the bucket 
was full he did not tell the lion, as the 
younger brother had done, for he wanted all 
he could possibly get. 

Suddenly one of the gold pieces fell upon 
the ground. 

“ Oh,’’ cried the lion, “ a big piece of gold 
is stuck in my throat. Put your hand in and 
get it out. It is the largest piece of all.” 

The greedy man thrust his hand at once 
into the lion’s mouth and the lion snapped his 
jaws together ! And there the man stayed, for 
the lion would not let him go. And the gold 
in the bucket turned into earth and stones. 

When night came and the husband did not 
return, the wife became anxious and went out 
to search for him. At last she found him with 
his arm held fast in the lion’s mouth. He was 
tired and cold and hungry. 

“ Alas ! ” she said, “ I wish we had not tried 
to get the gold. There is no food in the hut 
for us and we shall have to die.” 

The lion was listening to all that was said. 


THE STONE LION 


53 


and he was so pleased at their misfortune that 
he began to laugh at them, ‘‘ Ha, ha, ha ! ” 
As he laughed, he opened his mouth and the 
greedy man quickly drew out his hand, before 
the lion had a chance to close his jaws again. 
They were glad enough to get away, and they 
went to their brother’s house once more. The 
brother was sorry for them and gave them 
enough money to buy a home. 

The younger brother and his mother lived 
very happily in their beautiful home, but they 
always remembered the Stone Lion on the 
hillside, who gave them their good fortune. 


THE STORY THAT HAD NO END 


NCE upon a time there 
was a king who was so 
fond of hearing stories 
told that he would listen 
to them all day long. 
He cared for no other 
kind of amusement and 
he was always angry 
when the story came to an end. “Your 
stories are too short/’ he said to the many 
story-tellers who tried to amuse him. Indeed 
no one had ever been found who was able to 
tell him a story that lasted long enough. 

All the people of his court had tried again 
and again to please him. Some had told 
stories that lasted three months, some had 
told stories that lasted six months, and a few 
courtiers had been able to carry on their stories 
for one whole year. Still the king com- 



54 











I»S1I 


^<i< “ '-V^r (44fT: 


(55) 




THE STORY THAT HAD NO END 


57 


plained, for sooner or later the story was sure 
to come to an end. 

At last he sent out the following proclama- 
tion to all the people of his kingdom : 

PROCLAMATION 

TO THE MAN WHO WILL TELL ME A STORY 
WHICH SHALL LAST FOREVER, I WILL GIVE THE 
PRINCESS, MY DAUGHTER, IN MARRIAGE ; ALSO, . 

I WILL MAKE THE SUCCESSFUL ONE MY HEIR 
AND HE SHALL BE KING AFTER ME. BUT MARK, 

LET NO MAN PRETEND THAT HE CAN DO SO, 
AND FAIL; FOR, IF THE STORY COMES TO AN 
END, THE STORY-TELLER SHALL BE THROWN 
INTO PRISON. THE KING. 

The king’s daughter was a very beautiful 
princess, and there were many suitors in the 
kingdom who came to the court in hope of 
winning such a prize. But it was all of no 
use. Each tried as hard as he could to spin 
the story out, but sooner or later it came to 
an end and the unfortunate one met the fate 
the king had threatened. 

This grieved the princess very much, and 
each time she begged the king to lighten the 
punishment of the poor story-teller who had 
risked so much for her sake. 

skinner’s merry tales — 4 


THE STORY THAT HAD NO END 


58 

At last one man sent word to the king that 
he had a story which would last forever and 
ever, and that he was ready to come to the 
court at once. On hearing this the princess 
sent for the man and warned him of his 
danger. She begged him not to be so rash as 
to try the king’s patience, for no one had 
ever pleased his majesty, and she feared he 
would meet the fate of all those who had 
tried and failed. But he said he was not 
afraid, and he asked to be taken at once before 
the king. 

“ So you are the man who is to tell me a 
story that will have no end ? ” said the king. 

‘‘ If it please your majesty,” answered the 
man. 

“ If you can do this, you shall be king after 
me, and you shall marry the princess, my 
daughter. But if you fail, you shall be cast 
into prison.” 

‘‘ I understand, O king. I have a story 
about locusts which I shall be pleased to tell 
you.” 

“Very well. Begin the story.” 


THE STORY THAT HAD NO END 


59 


The story-teller began his tale. 

“ O king, there was once a ruler who was 
a great tyrant. He wished to be the richest 
in the land, so he seized all the corn and 
grain in his kingdom and had it stored away. 
Year after year he did this until all his grana- 
ries were filled full. But one year there came 
a swarm of locusts and they discovered where all 
the grain had been stored. After a long search, 
they found near the top of the granary a 
very small hole that was just large enough for 
one locust at a time to pass through. So one 
locust went in and carried off one grain of 
corn ; then another locust went in and car- 
ried off one grain of corn ; then another locust 
went in and carried off one grain of corn ; 
then another locust went in and carried off 
one grain of corn — 

Thus the story-teller went on day after 
day, week after week, from morning till night. 
After hearing about the locusts for nearly a 
year the king became rather tired of them, 
patient though he was, and one day he inter- 
rupted the story-teller with : 


6o 


THE STORY THAT HAD NO END 


“Yes, yes, weVe had enough of those lo- 
custs. Let us take for granted that they got 
all the grain they wanted. Now go on with 
the story. What happened afterwards?” 

“ If it please your majesty, I cannot tell 
you what happened afterwards until I have 
told you all that took place in the beginning. 
I go on with the story. Then another locust 
went in and carried off one grain of corn ; 
then another locust went in and carried off 
one grain of corn.” 

Another month passed by. At the end of 
this time the king asked impatiently, “ Come, 
sir, how long will it take those locusts to 
carry away all the corn ? ” 

“ O king, I cannot tell. They have 
cleared away but a small space round the in- 
side of the hole, and there are still thousands 
and thousands of locusts on the outside. 
Have patipnce, O king, there are enough 
grains for each locust to have one, and in 
time they, no doubt, will all pass in and each 
in turn carry away one grain of corn. Per- 
mit me, O king, to go on with my story. 


THE STORY THAT HAD NO END 


6l 


Then another locust went in and carried off 
one grain of corn ; then another locust went 
in and carried off one grain of corn — 

“Stop, stop,” called out the king at last. 
“ I cannot stand those locusts any longer. 
Take my kingdom, be king after me, marry 
my daughter, take everything, only never let 
me hear about those ridiculous locusts again.” 

So the story-teller married the princess and 
succeeded to the throne upon the death of the 
king. 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 


NCE upon a time a king 
wanted a good rabbit 
keeper. He made it 
known throughout the 
country that he would 
give not only good pay, 
but also the hand of the 
princess, to any youth 
who could take good care of his wonderful 
rabbits. 

Now it happened that an old farmer had 
three very lazy sons, Jan, Hans, and Olaf. 
They disliked the work on the farm and spent 
most of their time amusing themselves, or 
doing as they pleased. When Jan heard that 
the king wanted a rabbit keeper, he told his 
father he would go to the palace and try to 
get the place. 

“ What ! ” cried the old man. “ The king 



62 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 63 

does not want an idler. The rabbits are brisk 
and lively and need care every moment. A 
lazybones like you could never be His Maj- 
esty’s rabbit keeper.” 

‘‘Well, I am determined to go. I should 
like the work better than the farm drudgery,” 
replied Jan. He filled a bag with things 
to eat, and a few clothes, and started to the 
palace of the king. After he had traveled 
a few miles he heard a voice calling him : 
“ Help ! Help ! ” Jan hurried toward the 
sound and came to a deep pit. He looked 
down into it, and there was a shriveled old 
woman. She spoke very sharply to him. 
“ Pull me up ! Pull me up ! ” she cried. 
“ I have been here for one year, and have had 
no food in all that time. Pull me up ! ” 

“ Not I,” replied Jan. “ Only a witch 
could live a year in such a place without food. 
Pll have nothing to do with you,” and on he 
went. 

At length he came to the palace of the 
king and asked to serve as rabbit keeper. 
The delighted king said, “ He who guards 


64 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 


the rabbits well and lets none escape shall have 
fine food, good pay, and perhaps the hand of 
a beautiful princess.” 

The next day Jan took the rabbits into a 
large field to browse. During the daytime 
they nibbled the tender grass and stayed to- 
gether, but when the sun began to set, they 
darted toward a wood which bordered a 
meadow and they soon became lost in the 
shadows of the trees. Jan called to them and 
ran after them until he was out of breath, but 
he could not bring them together. He rested 
awhile and tried again. It was of no use ; 
they had scattered in every direction. Surely 
they were playing hide and seek, and Jan was 
not in the game. When he reached the palace, 
he told his story to the king, who burst into a 
rage and banished Jan from the country. 

In a short time the king got another warren 
of rabbits and again made it known that he 
wanted a keeper. Jan’s brother, Hans, now 
determined that he would try to serve the 
king and perhaps gain the rich reward. Off he 
started. He passed the pit and heard the old 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 65 

woman calling for help, but he hurried on with- 
out even stopping to see what was the matter 
with her. 

The king made him keeper of the rabbits, 
but the first time he took them out to browse 
he failed in his work. All was well during 
the day, but when the sun sank, the rabbits 
scurried away to the woods, and no matter 
what he did, Hans could not gather them to- 
gether again. When he returned to the palace 
without a single rabbit, the furious king ban- 
ished him, too, from the country. 

A third time the king got beautiful rabbits 
and made it known that he wanted a keeper. 
“ Father,” said Olaf, the youngest of the 
three brothers, ‘‘ it is my turn to try. I am 
sure I could guard the king’s rabbits.” 

‘‘ It will be the same old story,” said the 
farmer. “ If you take no better care of the 
rabbits than you do of the calves, you will 
share your brothers’ fate.” 

‘‘ At any rate I mean to try,” replied Olaf. 
Throwing his bag over his shoulder, he set out 
for the palace of the king. 


66 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 


“ Help ! Help ! ’’ called a voice from the 
field near the road. Olaf ran in the direction of 
the sound and saw the old woman in the pit. 

“What can I do for you, my good 
woman ? he asked. 

“ Please reach me your hand and help me 
out. I’ve had nothing to eat for a year and 
I can’t get out without help.” 

Olaf willingly reached down and pulled 
the old woman up. Then he gave her food 
from his bag and brought her water from 
a spring. She ate a large share of Olaf’s 
store while he good-naturedly looked on. 
When she had finished, she drew from her 
pocket a magic horn. 

“Take this for your pains,” said she. “ It 
is a wonderful horn and will help you in 
many ways. If you blow into the small end 
of it, you will scatter to the four winds what- 
ever you wish away from you. If you blow 
into the large end of it, you will bring near 
you whatever you wish. If you should lose 
it, or if by chance it should be stolen from 
you, a wish will bring it back again.” 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 


67 


“ A wonderful help it will be to me/’ said 
Olaf, as he took it eagerly from the old 
woman’s hand. 

He sauntered on again, and after some time 
he came to the palace of the king. The rab- 
bits were put into his charge, and Olaf ’s heart 
beat high when he thought of the princess 
he might win. 

The next morning he took the rabbits out 
into the meadow. They danced about in 
high glee for several hours. But about noon, 
Olaf noticed two of them scamper away to 
the woods. These two were soon followed 
by others. “Very well,” said Olaf, “go 
away from me if you like.” He blew into 
the small end of the magic horn, and then 
cried out, “ Be off, every one of you ! ” and 
away they scattered in every direction. 

Olaf then ate his noonday lunch and 
stretched himself out for a nap on the soft 
green bank. When he awoke, the sun was 
low in the west. He took up the magic 
horn and blew into the large end of it. From 
every direction came the frisky rabbits danc- 


68 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 


ing and hopping about him. Olaf counted 
them and was well pleased to find exactly the 
right number. When he reached the palace 
with the rabbits, he saw that the king, the 
queen, and the princess were on the lookout 
for him. Also he noticed that each one 
counted the rabbits and then glanced at the 
others in wonder. 

“ Alas ! ” sighed the princess, “ how I 
wish he were of noble birth ! But a farmer’s 
lad ! Dear me ! ” 

Day after day Olaf took the rabbits out 
to browse in the meadow. At noon he 
scattered them in the deep wood, and when 
the sun began to sink behind a distant hill, he 
gathered them together and led them back 
to the palace. 

The king was very much puzzled and 
determined to send a servant to spy upon 
Olaf. With greatest care the servant slipped 
into the field and noticed Olaf asleep on 
the soft green bank near the edge of the 
wood. The servant hid himself in the low 
underbrush of the wood and waited until 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 69 

evening. At sunset, Olaf awoke, drew out 
his magic horn, gathered together the rab- 
bits, and led them back to the palace. The 
servant explained to the king what he had 
seen, and the king told his queen and the 
princess. “ I shall steal his horn while he 
is asleep in the meadow,’’ said the princess, 
“ for I am determined not to marry a com- 
mon farmer’s son.” 

The next day she stole carefully to Olaf’s 
side while he lay asleep and took the magic 
horn from his pocket. She had not reached 
the palace before Olaf awoke and thought 
of his rabbits. But where was his horn ? 
He searched about the banks in vain. “ Oh, 
how I wish I had my magic horn ! ” he 
cried. No sooner had he made his wish 
than he found the horn in his hands. He 
blew into the larger end of it and again the 
rabbits danced and frisked about him ready 
to return. 

Now the queen thought she would try 
her skill in getting Olaf’s horn. She had 
no trouble in getting it from his pocket, but 


70 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 


as she neared the palace, the horn slipped 
away from her. In the evening, Olaf returned 
with his flock as usual. 

“ I see that I must do the thing myself,’’ 
muttered the king. “ That farmer’s lad 
shall not outwit me. I’ll tie the horn in 
one of my hunting bags to make sure of 
it.” 

Anxiously the queen and princess awaited 
the king’s return. At last he came, untied 
the bag, and reached in for the horn. Alas ! 
it had disappeared. And there in the dis- 
tance came Olaf and the rabbits. The king 
sent word for Olaf to appear before the 
royal family. ‘‘Tell me about that horn of 
yours. Where did you get it ? Hasn’t it 
magic power ? ’’ said the king, impatiently. 

“ Sire, it is a magic horn,” began Olaf. 

“ Prove it,” said the king. 

“ I would rather not,” said Olaf. 

“ Do as I bid you, without a word !” roared 
the king, becoming red with anger. 

Olaf raised the little end of his horn to 
his lips and blew a strong blast, while secretly 


THE KING’S RABBIT KEEPER 


71 


he made a wish. In a moment the royal fam- 
ily scattered in all directions. 

“ Bring us back ! Bring us back ! How 
dare you ? Pll have you punished for this ! ” 
roared the king, as he tumbled into the 
distance. 

Olaf blew into the big end of his horn 
and instantly the royal family were back at 
the palace. The king, in a rage, tried to seize 
Olaf, but just then the rabbit keeper raised 
the sm^all end of the horn to his lips. 

“ Hold, hold ! ” cried the king. “ I will 
do you no harm if you will keep that wicked 
horn from your lips. I would rather give 
up half my kingdom than take another flighty 
trip. You are a wonderful lad and the best of 
rabbit keepers. The reward is yours.” 

In a short time there was a beautiful 
wedding at the palace. Olaf had won the 
princess. 


THE LEAPING MATCH 


FLEA, a grasshopper, 
and a frog once wanted to 
see which one of them 
could jump the highest. 
So they made a festival 
and invited the whole 
world and everybody else 
besides, who would like 
to come, to see the frolic. When the people 
assembled to see the contest they all admitted 
that these three famous jumpers were indeed 
well worth seeing. 

“ I will give the princess, my daughter, to 
the one who can jump the highest,” said the 
king. “ The champion in such a trial of skill 
must be rewarded.” 

The flea was the first to come forward. 
His manners were perfect and he bowed to 
the company on every side, for noble blood 



72 






THE LEAPING MATCH 


75 


flowed in his veins ; and, besides, he had been 
accustomed to associating with human beings, 
which was much to his advantage. 

The grasshopper came next. The green 
uniform, which he always wore, set off his 
figure very well. He carried himself with 
great dignity, for he belonged to a very old 
Egyptian family, he said, and was highly 
thought of in the house in which he lived. 

In fact when he was brought out of the 
fields he was put into a card house, three 
stories high. The colored sides of the cards 
were turned in and the doors and windows 
were cut out of the Queen of Hearts. “ It 
was built on purpose for me,” he said, ‘‘ and 
I sing so well that sixteen crickets who had 
chirped all their life, and still had no card 
house to live in, were so angry at hearing me 
that they grew thinner than they ever had 
been before.” 

In this way the flea and the grasshopper 
went on with their long praises, each thinking 
himself quite an excellent match for the 
princess. 

skinner’s merry tales — 5 


76 


THE LEAPING MATCH 


The frog said nothing, but his silence only 
made the people think he knew a great deal, 
and the house dog who sniffed at him walked 
away with an air of approval. 

The old counselor who had issued three 
orders for keeping quiet, said at last, that the 
frog was a prophet, for one could tell from 
his back whether the coming winter would be 
severe or mild. Such wisdom could never be 
gained from the back of the man who writes 
almanacs. 

‘‘ I shall say nothing,” said the king, ‘‘ but 
I have my own opinion ; for I see every- 
thing.” 

And now the leaping match began. The 
flea jumped first. He jumped so high that 
no one could see what had become of him. 
So the people said he did not jump at all. 
How shameful it was of him after all his 
boasting ! 

The grasshopper jumped only half as high ; 
but he jumped right into the king’s face. This 
act the king thought extremely rude. 

The frog stood still for a long time ; some 


THE LEAPING MATCH 


77 


began to think that he did not mean to 
jump at all. 

“ Perhaps he’s ill,” said the house dog; so 
he went up to sniff at the frog again ; when 
‘‘pop” he made a side jump which landed 
him right into the lap of the princess, who 
was sitting on a little golden stool. 

“ There is nothing in the world higher 
than my daughter,” called out the king. 
“The frog has made the highest jump that 
can be made. Only one who has a good 
mind could have done anything so clever as 
that.” And so the leaping frog won the 
princess. 

“ I jumped the highest,” said the flea, “ in 
spite of what the king said, but the decision 
does not matter to me. The princess may 
have that heavy, stiff-legged, ugly creature if 
he’s to her taste. Dullness and heaviness win 
in this stupid world. I’m too light and airy.” 
So the flea went into foreign lands. 

The grasshopper sat down upon a green 
bank and thought about the world and its 
ways. “Yes,” he said to himself, “dullness 


78 


THE LEAPING MATCH 


and heaviness do win in this stupid world. 
People care most about fine looks nowadays.’’ 
Then he began to sing in the grasshopper way; 
and from his song we have taken this little 
story. 


THE CLEVER TURTLE 


TURTLE lay upon a 
large rock sunning him- 
self. His eyes were 
turned toward the palace 
of the king which over- 
looked the beautiful river. 
He could hear the merry 
voices of the little princes 
playing in the royal courtyard. 

‘‘ What happy times they have ! ’’ thought 
the turtle. “ I have heard that there is a 
lovely little lake in the princes’ playground, 
where they have fine fun, swimming and sail- 
ing tiny boats. How dull it is living out here 
on the rocks ! I’m sure I should be happier 
if I lived in a royal courtyard.” 

At that moment the turtle was startled by 
the voices of two men who were carrying 
fishing nets and large buckets to the river. 



79 


8o 


THE CLEVER TURTLE 


He slipped under the rock and lay very still 
and listened. 

“You see,” said one of the men, “we are 
to put the fishes into the courtyard lake and 
surprise the young princes. His majesty, 
the king, heard them wish that fishes swam 
in their lake, and he decided to surprise them.” 

“ How happy they will be in the morning ! ” 
replied the other man. “ Come, let us climb 
to the edge of these rocks and throw our nets 
into the river. Then we will draw them in, 
empty the fishes into those buckets, and carry 
them to the courtyard lake this evening.” 

When the turtle heard that some of his 
neighbors were to live in the royal courtyard, 
he was very jealous indeed ! 

“ Fishes are such stupid creatures ! ” he said 
to himself. “ How much more delight a 
turtle would give those young princes. Fll 
not live on this rock any longer. Fll slip 
very quietly into one of those buckets, and the 
men will carry me into the royal courtyard. 
They will never notice me. Fishes for the 
delight of royalty ! It is absurd ! ” 


THE CLEVER TURTLE 


8i 


The next morning the little princes took 
their sailboats and ran to the lake in the court- 
yard. 

“ See, see ! ’’ cried one of them. “ Our 
wish has come true ! There are fishes swim- 
ming about in the water. Oh, what fun ! ” 

“ Come away ! Come, come, brother ! ’’ 
shouted the other little prince in terror. “See, 
there is a demon on the bank ! Perhaps the 
fishes belong to him ! Come ! ” 

To the turtle’s great surprise off ran the lads, 
crying out, “ A demon has come to live on the 
bank of our lake ! ” 

When the king saw how frightened the 
princes were, he ordered an attendant to cap- 
ture the demon and bring him to the palace. 
So, before the poor turtle could make up 
his mind what to do, he was caught and 
brought before the king. 

“H ow shall we kill him ? ” asked an at- 
tendant. 

“ Throw him into the fire,” said one. 

“ Drop a large rock on his head and crush 
him,” said another. ^ 


82 


THE CLEVER TURTLE 


“ Oh, that would not do,’' said one of the 
princes. “ See ! He has pulled his head inside 
that shell back of his. Perhaps his back is 
too strong to be crushed by a rock.” 

‘‘ I have it,” said an old servant who was 
afraid of the water, “ let us fling him over 
the rocks into the river. Then he will be 
swept away into the sea and drowned.” 

In a twinkling out came the turtle’s head. 

“ My friends,” he said, “ pray do not throw 
me into the river that flows to the great wide 
sea! Of all your plans to punish me, that is 
the worst ! Burn me, or crush me if you will, 
but do not throw me into the river that flows 
to the great wide sea ! I shudder at the 
thought of it.” 

‘‘Take the demon to the rocks and throw 
him into the river,” said the king. 

“ Ha ! ha ! ha 1 ” laughed the turtle when 
he whirled about in the water and swam back 
to the friendly rocks where he had lived so 
long. 


ROBIN GOODFELLOW 



From Oberon, in fairy land, 

The king of ghosts and shadows there, 
Mad Robin, I, at his command. 

Am sent to view the night sports here. 
What revel rout 
Is kept about 

In every corner where I go, 

I will o’ersee 
And merry be. 

And make good sport, with ho, ho, ho ! 

More swift than lightning can I fly 
About this airy welkin soon ; 

And, in a minute’s space, descry 
Each thing that’s done below the moon. 
There’s not a hag 
Or ghost shall wag 
83 


84 ROBIN GOODFELLOW 

Or cry, ’ware goblins ! where I go ; 

But, Robin, I, 

Their feats will spy 

And send them home with ho, ho, ho ! 

Whene’er such wanderers I meet. 

As from their night sports they trudge home 
With counterfeiting voice I greet. 

And call them on with me to roam ; 
Through woods, through lakes. 

Through bogs, through brakes. 

Or else, unseen, with them I go. 

All in the nick 
To play some trick. 

And frolic it, with ho, ho, ho ! 

Sometimes I meet them like a man. 
Sometimes an ox, sometimes a hound ; 

And to a horse I turn me can. 

To trip and trot about them round. 

But if to ride. 

My back they stride. 

More swift than wind away I go. 

O’er hedge and lands 
Through pools and ponds 
I hurry laughing, ho, ho, ho ! 


ROBIN GOODFELLOW 


85 


By wells and rills in meadows green 
We nightly dance our heyday guise; 
And to. our fairy King and Queen 
We chant our moonlight minstrelsieSc 
When larks ’gin sing 
Away we fling ; 

And babes new born steal as we go ; 
And elf in bed. 

We leave instead, 

And wend us, laughing ho, ho, ho ! 

From hag-bred Merlin’s time have I 
Thus nightly revel’d to and fro ; 

And for my pranks men call me by 
The name of Robin Goodfellow. 
Fiends, ghosts, and sprites 
Who haunt the nights. 

The hags and goblins do me know ; 
And beldames old 
My feats have told. 

So vale^ vale^ ho, ho, ho ! 


MERLIN’S CRAG 


NE evening the master 
of a fine estate and a 
farm laborer were walk- 
ing over the fields. 
The master said, “ To- 
morrow I want the peat 
cut from yonder crag, 
which rises at the 
end of the moorland.” 

“ Do you mean Merlin’s Crag, master ? ” 
asked the laborer. . 

“You have been here but a short time. 
How did you learn that name ? ” said the 
master in surprise. 

“ One of the old servants told me about it, 
sir. He said that long, long ago an enchanter 
named Merlin lived there. And, master, there 
is a haunted cave under the crag where — ” 

“ Nonsense ! Pay no attention to the 



86 


MERLIN’S CRAG 


87 


stories servants tell, but see to it that the peat 
is cut to-morrow,” said the owner im- 
patiently. 

The next afternoon the laborer began to cut 
the peat which covered the curiously shaped 
crag. He was about to lift up a piece of turf 
when, suddenly, there appeared before him the 
daintiest little creature he had ever seen. She 
was twelve inches tall and was dressed in a 
gown of sparkling green. She wore red stock- 
ings and dainty red sandals with jeweled 
buckles. On her head was a tiny, dazzling 
coronet. Her lovely golden hair rippled down 
under the crown and over her shoulders. 

The laborer stopped his work and in 
amazement gazed silently at this exquisite 
little queen. She raised her tiny wand in 
warning and said in a silvery small voice: 

Now tell me, pray, what would you 
think if I should send one of my people to 
unroof your home ? I am out of patience 
with you mortals ! I am, indeed. You are 
selfish creatures. Y ou do anything that pleases 
you and you consider no one but yourselves.” 


88 


MERLIN’S CRAG 


Here she stamped her tiny sandaled foot and 
continued, ‘‘ Now listen to me ! Put back 
that turf this instant, or I declare you shall rue 
the day that you disturbed the roof of Merlin’s 
Crag.’^ Then she vanished. 

The poor bewildered laborer could hardly 
believe his senses. He put back the turf ex- 
actly where it belonged, took up his spade, 
and went back to his master. 

“ Why, where is the peat ? ” began the 
landlord. 

“ O master,’^ said the poor man, “ the 
fairies live in Merlin’s Crag ! I have seen 
the queen, and she warned me not to take the 
turf from the top. May I cut the peat from 
the other side of the moor ? ” 

‘‘ What do you mean } I believe your 
senses are wandering, or you would not say 
such stupid things,” replied the master. “ Go 
back immediately and cut all the peat from 
Merlin’s Crag. Even if the old wizard him- 
self appears, you must do as I command.” 

The poor laborer was obliged to obey, so 
he went back to the crag and cut the peat. 


MERLIN’S CRAG 


89 


His heart beat very fast, for every minute 
he expected the fairy to reappear and up- 
braid him, but strange to say, nothing of the 
kind happened. 

Exactly one year from the day when the peat 
was cut from the top of Merlin’s Crag, the 
laborer started on his way home across the fields. 
The master had given him a present of a can of 
milk and some cheese for his wife and children ; 
so he whistled a merry tune as he hurried along. 
In the distance he noticed the queerly-shaped 
outline of Merlin’s Crag against a pale amber 
sky and his thoughts wandered back to the 
day one year ago. How strange that he had 
never again seen the exquisite little fairy ! 
What a funny threat she had made ! As he 
drew near the crag he began to feel strangely 
tired. He seemed to drag his leaden feet, 
and his eyelids grew heavier and heavier. 

“ I must rest a bit,” he thought. ‘‘ How 
long the road seems this evening ! ” So he 
sat down in a shadow near the crag and fell 
into a deep sleep. 

When he awoke, the soft silvery moonlight 


90 


MERLIN’S CRAG 


flooded the fields, and he heard distinctly the 
village bell striking the midnight hour. 
Then there floated to his ears the happiest 
ripple of laughter. He rubbed his eyes and 
aroused himself. He heard a sweet, small 
voice singing : 

‘‘ Come, follow, follow me 
Ye fairy elves that be. 

Which circle on the green. 

Come follow Mab, your queen ; 

Hand in hand, let’s dance around. 

For the place is fairy ground.” 

And a fairy chorus answered : 

‘‘O’er tops of dewy grass 
So nimbly do we pass. 

The young and tender stalk 
Ne^er bends when we do walk ; 

Yet in the morning may be seen 
Where we the night before have been.” 

Ringed about him was a host of dainty fairies 
singing and dancing, and laughing and point- 
ing wee elfin fingers at him as if he were 
the funniest object in the whole world. What 
could it all mean ? 





MERLIN’S CRAG 


93 


He determined to break through their 
circle and make for home, but, when he rose 
and tried to walk away, the magic green ring 
and the dancing fairies accompanied him and 
held him prisoner. How the wee folks en- 
joyed his dilemma ! They fairly shrieked 
with laughter. In a little while the queen, 
whom he had met before, danced forward and 
said slyly, “ Wilt thou not tread a measure, O 
mortal ? Come, thou mayest have our love- 
liest maiden for a partner. Join our sport, do. 
Then thou wilt not be so eager to depart.’’ 

She waved her wand to the circle of fairies, 
and a charming little creature flitted up to 
him. Before the poor man realized what 
was happening the wee dancer took one of his 
fingers in each of her tiny hands and away they 
went, swinging, whirling, waltzing about in 
the gayest manner. The little people shrieked 
again and again with elfin laughter at the sight 
of this strange couple treading a measure. All 
night long the merriment continued. 

Finally the moon set behind the dark crag, 
and rosy streaks broke through the gray 


skinner’s merry tales — 6 


94 


MERLIN’S CRAG 


curtain in the east. Then the queen held up 
her tiny wand and said, “ Come, the cock is 
welcoming the dawn.” She led the way 
and the other fairies forced our friend to ac- 
company them. As she drew near the crag 
a mysterious door opened and the fairies 
trooped through into a beautiful hall carpeted 
with velvet moss and dimly lighted by glow- 
worms. On tiny couches the wee people soon 
fell asleep. Our friend the countryman sat 
on a fragment of rock in the corner of the 
hall. 

When the fairies woke each went about 
some special task. Some mixed wonderful 
colors for flower petals, birds’ eggs, and deli- 
cate shells, others powdered gold dust for 
pollen, and spun gossamer threads, while still 
others mixed the most delicious odors for 
violets, wild roses, and hyacinths. 

The countryman was so charmed with the 
sight that he desired nothing more than the 
joy of watching these elfin people forever. 
Toward evening the queen touched his arm 
with her wand and said. 


MERLIN’S CRAG 


95 


“ Your punishment is over/' 

“ What do you mean ? " asked our friend. 

She replied, “ The turf you cut from the 
roof of Merlin's Crag has grown again. Once 
more the roof of our hall is whole. You 
may go back to your friends now. But first 
you must take a solemn oath that you will 
never disclose to mortal ears where you have 
been, or what you have seen. Do you 
promise ? " 

“ I promise," said the countryman. 

Then the fairy led the way to the cave's 
door which opened of its own accord, and he 
passed out into the fields. 

As he made his way to the village, he 
noticed that the people looked at him in as- 
tonishment. When he reached his cottage 
his wife, who came to the door, drew back 
in fear and wonder. 

“ Is it indeed you, my husband ? " she 
cried out. “ Where have you been so long ? " 

‘‘So long?" the dazed countryman echoed. 
“ So long ? What do you mean ? I don't 
understand. Where are the children ? " 


96 


MERLIN’S CRAG 


“ There they are,” said his wife, pointing 
to a well-grown boy and girl. ‘^You have 
been gone from us seven years. No wonder 
you do not know us.” 

‘‘ Seven years ! ” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Seven 
years do you say ? Let me think.” 

Then suddenly he knew what the fairy 
queen meant by his punishment. He had 
been imprisoned seven long years by the wee 
folk of fairyland. 

He was besieged with questions when the 
village people learned about his return, but 
he shook his head and said nothing. 

He never explained the mystery of his 
long absence, but many noticed that there 
was one name which always made him hasten 
to change the subject, and that name was 
— Merlin’s Crag. 


THE STORY OF LTL’ HANNIBAL 


NCE on a time, ’way 

down South, there lived 

a little boy named Han- 

nibal, Li’P Hannibal. 
He lived along with his 
gran’mammy and his 

gran’daddy in a li’l’ one- 
story log cabin that was 
set right down in a cotton field. Well, from 

morning until night, Li’T Hannibal’s gran’- 
mammy kept him toting things. As soon 

as he woke up in the morning it was : 

‘‘ Oh, Li’l’ Hannibal, fetch a pine knot and 
light the kitchen fire.” 

“ Oh, Li’l’ Hannibal, fetch the teakettle to 
the well and get some water for the tea.” 

‘‘ Oh, Li’l’ Hannibal, mix a li’l’ hoecake 
for your gran’daddy’s brea’fus’.” 

“ Oh, Li’l’ Hannibal, take the bunch of 



97 


98 


THE STORY OF LTL’ HANNIBAL 


turkeys’ feathers and dust the ashes off the 
hearth.” 

And from morning until night, Lid’ Hanni- 
bal’s gran’daddy kept him toting things, too. 

“ Oh, Lid’ Hannibal,” his gran’daddy 
would say, “ fetch the corn and feed the 
turkeys.” 

“ Oh, Li’l’ Hannibal, take your li’l’ ax and 
chop some lightwood for gran’mammy’s fire.” 

“ Oh, Li’l’ Hannibal, run ’round to the 
store and buy a bag of flour.” 

“ Oh, Li’l’ Hannibal, fetch your basket and 
pick a li’l’ cotton off the edge of the field.” 

So they kept poor little Hannibal toting 
’most all day long, and he had only four or 
five hours to play. 

Well, one morning when Li’l’ Hannibal 
woke up, he made up his mind to something. 
Before they could ask him to light the kitchen 
fire, or fill the teakettle, or mix the hoecake, 
or dust the hearth, or feed the turkeys, or 
chop any wood, or go to the store, or pick 
any cotton, he had made up his mind that he 
was not going to tote for his gran’mammy and 


THE STORY OF LFL’ HANNIBAL 


99 


his gran’daddy any longer. He was going to 
run away ! 

So Li’P Hannibal got out of bed very 
quietly. He put on his li’P trousers, and his 
li’P shirt, and his li’P suspenders, and his li’P 
shoes — he never wore stockings. He pulled 
his lid’ straw hat down tight over his ears, and 
then Li’l’ Hannibal ran away ! 

He went down the road past all the cabins. 
He went under the fence and across the cotton 
fields. He went through the pine grove past 
the schoolhouse, stooping down low — so the 
schoolmistress couldn’t see him — and then he 
went ’way, ’way off into the country. 

When he was a long way from town, Li’l’ 
Hannibal met a possum loping along by the 
edge of the road, and the possum stopped and 
looked at Li’l’ Hannibal. 

“H ow do } Where you goin’, Li’l’ 
Hannibal ? ” asked the possum. 

Li’l’ Hannibal sat down by the side of the 
road and took off his straw hat to fan himself, 
for he felt quite warm, and he said, 

“ I done run away, Br’er Possum, my gran’- 


lOO 


THE STORY OF LTL’ HANNIBAL 


mammy and my gran’daddy kept me totin’, 
totin’ for them all the time. I don’t like to 
work, Br’er Possum.” 

“ Po’ Li’T Hannibal ! ” said the possum, 
sitting up and scratching himself. “ Any 
special place you bound for ? ” 

“ I don’t reckon so,” said Li’l’ Hannibal, 
for he was getting tired, and he had come 
away without any breakfast. 

“ You come along with me, Li’l’ Hannibal,” 
said the possum ; “ I reckon I kin take you 
somewhere.” 

So the possum and Li’l’ Hannibal went 
along together, the possum loping along by 
the side of the road and Li’P Hannibal going 
very slowly in the middle of the road, for his 
shoes were full of sand and it hurt his toes. 
They went on and on until they came, all at 
once, to a sort of open space in the woods 
and then they stopped. There was a big 
company there — Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Par- 
tridge, and Br’er Jay Bird and Br’er Robin, 
and Ol’ Miss Guinea Hen. 

‘‘ Here’s po’ Li’l’ Hannibal come to see 


THE STORY OF LTL* HANNIBAL 


lOI 


you,” said the possum. “Li’P Hannibal done 
run away from his gran’mammy and gran’- 
daddy.” 

Lid’ Hannibal hung his head as if he was 
ashamed, but nobody noticed him. They 
were all as busy as they could be, and so he 
just sat down on a pine stump and watched 
them. 

Each one had his own special work and he 
was keeping at it right smart. Br’er Robin 
was gathering all the holly berries from the 
south side of the holly tree and singing as he 
worked : 

“ Cheer up, cheer-u-up ! ” 

Br’er Partridge was building a new house 
down low in the bushes. As he hurried back 
and forth with twigs, he would stop and drum 
a little, he felt so happy to be busy. 

Br’er Jay Bird was taking corn down be- 
low. You know that is what Br’er Jay Bird 
does all the time. He takes one kernel of 
corn in his bill to the people down below and 
then comes back for another. It is a very 
long trip to take with one kernel of corn, but 


102 


THE STORY OF LTL’ HANNIBAL 


Br’er Jay Bird doesn’t seem to mind how 
hard he works. 

or Miss Guinea Hen was almost the busi- 
est of the whole company, for she was laying 
eggs. As soon as ever she laid one she would 
get up on a low branch and screech, “ Catch 
it ! Catch it ! Catch it ! ” like to deafen 
everybody. 

But Li’P Hannibal was most interested to 
see what Br’er Rabbit was doing. Br’er Rab- 
bit had on a li’P apron, and he kept bringing 
things in his market basket. Then he cooked 
the things over a fire back in the bushes, and 
when it got to be late in the afternoon, he 
spread a tablecloth on a big stump and then 
he pounded on his stewpan with his soup 
ladle. ‘‘ Supper’s ready,” said Br’er Rabbit. 

Then Br’er Robin, and Br’er Partridge, and 
Br’er Jay Bird, and Br’er Possum, and Ol’ 
Miss Guinea Hen all scrambled to their 
places at the table and Li’l’ Hannibal tried to 
find a place to sit at, but there wasn’t any. 

“ Po’ Li’l’ Hannibal ! ” said Br’er Rabbit 
as he poured the soup. “ Doesn’t like work ! 


THE STORY OF LIT’ HANNIBAL 103 

Doesn’t like to tote for his gran’mammy. 
Can’t have no supper ! ” 

“ Catch him ! Catch him ! ” said Ol’ Miss 
Guinea Hen, but no one did it. They were 
all too busy eating. 

They had a grand supper. There was 
breakfast strip, and roast turkey, and fried 
chicken, and mutton and rice, and hominy 
and sweet potatoes, and peas and beans, and 
baked apples, and cabbage, and hoe cake, and 
hot biscuits, and corn muffins, and butter cakes 
and waffles and maple syrup. 

When they were through eating, it was 
dark, and they all went home, and they left 
Li’F Hannibal all by himself. 

Well, after a while it began to get darker. 
Br’er Mocking Bird came out, and he looked 
at Li’r Hannibal and then he began to 
scream, just like Ol’ Miss Guinea Hen, 

Catch him ! Catch him ! Catch him ! ” 
Br’er Screech Owl looked down from a tree 
and he said very hoarsely : 

‘‘ Who ! Who ! Who-00 ! ” 

Then all the frogs began to say, loud and 


104 THE STORY OF LFL’ HANNIBAL 

shrill, “Li’P Hannibal! Li’P Hannibal!’’ like 
they thought he was deaf. 

So Li’l’ Hannibal got up from his pine 
stump and he said, “ I reckon I better go 
home to my gran’mammy.” 

Well, Li’l’ Hannibal started for home 
slowly, because his feet hurt and he was hun- 
gry. When he came to the pine grove by 
the schoolhouse the shadows came out from 
behind the trees and followed him, and that 
was much worse than seeing the schoolmis- 
tress. But Li’l’ Hannibal got away from 
them all right. He crawled under the fence 
and ran across the cotton field, and there in 
the door of the cabin was his gran’daddy 
with a lantern. His gran’daddy had been 
out looking for Li’l’ Hannibal. 

‘‘ Why, Li’l’ Hannibal, where you been all 
day ? ” asked his gran’daddy. 

“ Oh, Li’l’ Han’,” said his gran’mammy, 
“ here’s your corn mush. I kep’ it warm on 
the hearth, but afore you eat your supper, Li’l’ 
Han, jus’ take your li’l’ basket and run ’round 
to the chicken house for a couple of eggs.” 


THE STORY OF LTL’ HANNIBAL 105 

So Li’P Hannibal took his li’T basket, and 
he started for those eggs singing all the way. 
You see, he reckoned he was mighty glad to 
be at home, and toting again. 



HOW TIMOTHY WON THE 
PRINCESS 


NCE upon a time a poor 
widow and her son 
Timothy lived in a little 
cottage near a village. 
One day Tim’s mother 
said : “ Tim, my boy, 

the landlord’s rent must 
be paid and I haven’t a 
bit of money in the house. I’ve made up 
my mind to sell one of our three cows.” 

Tim replied : “ All right ! I’ll take the old 
red cow to the fair in the morning, and sell her 
for a good price, mother mine.” 

Bright and early Tim was ready. It was 
a fine spring morning, and the birds sang 
merrily in the trees. The hedgerows were 
white with May blossoms. Tim drove the 
old cow along the mossy green lanes until he 

io6 




HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 107 

came to the village, where a fair was being 
held. 

A great crowd had gathered in a ring near the 
main road, and Timothy hurried there to see 
what caused the excitement. In the middle of 
this ring, on a tiny platform, was a little man with 
a tiny harp and a tiny stool. The dwarf reached 
down deep into his pocket and brought out a 
bee, all dressed up in a blue suit of clothes with 
bright buttons and gold braid. Perched on 
one side of his head was a cunning little cap 
which matched his suit. Again the little man 
reached down into his pocket and drew out a 
cockroach and a tiny mouse. 

The cockroach was dressed in a very full 
skirt of flowered silk, a lace bodice, and bright 
panniers of velvet. On her head was a dainty 
bit of a hat wreathed with flowers. 

The little mouse wore a dress suit and a tall 
silk hat. At a sign frorn the little man, the 
bee jumped on the stool and began to play a 
tune on the harp. Then Mr. Mouse bowed to 
Miss Cockroach. She courtesied gracefully, 
and the two began to waltz to the music. 


io8 HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 

Now the moment they began to dance 
every man and woman, youth and maid, joined 
them. Soon everything in sight, pots and 
pans, pigs and cows, ducks and hens, began to 
reel about as if they had all gone mad ! The 
old cow began to whirl round and round, and 
then Timothy started. His feet kept time to 
the music which grew louder and faster as 
the sport proceeded. In a short time the 
little man picked up the harp, stool, and 
animals and put them back into his pocket. 

Instantly, everybody and everything came 
to a standstill ! Then such a roar of laughter 
burst forth as was never heard before. The 
people laughed until their sides ached, and 
Timothy’s voice was heard above all the 
others. The little man walked up to him. 

“ What do you think of that for sport ? ” 
he asked. 

“ Oh, indeed, it was fine fun, sir,” answered 
Tim. 

“ And how would you like to own my 
little animals ? ” 

“ Like to own them, sir ? Indeed I should. 












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HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS ill 


but I have no money, nor have I any way of 
getting it.” 

“ ril tell you how to make a good bargain 
though,” said the little man, coming closer. 
“ ril trade you the harp and my musician, the 
bee, for the cow you’ve brought to the fair to 
sell. Come, what do you say to that.?” 

“ Oh, how I should like to have them, 
sir ! But mother must have money for the 
landlord. She is very sad and downhearted 
because we cannot pay the rent.” 

“ Yes, yes, but think how the tiny musician 
will make her laugh, my boy. She needs 
cheering,” persuaded the little man. 

‘‘ So she does, sir,” said Tim. “ I’ll trade 
with you.” 

The little man took the cow and disap- 
peared, and Timothy put the harp, the stool, 
and the bee into his pocket and went home. 

‘‘You’ve sold the cow, my boy?” said his 
mother, anxiously. “ How much money did 
you get for her ? ” 

“ Money, mother ! I got something much 
better than money,” said Tim, excitedly. 


skinner’s merry tales — 7 


1 12 HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 


Then out of his pocket he took the harp, 
the stool, and the bee, and set them on the 
floor. After a deep bow the bee seated him- 
self on the stool, cocked his head on one side, 
and began to play a lively tune. The little 
fellow looked so comical that Timothy's 
mother couldn't keep a straight face. She 
burst into a peal of laughter. The lad joined 
her, and then the pots and the pans, the table 
and chairs, everything in the house began to 
reel and jig. Tim and his mother began to 
hop up and down in the funniest manner. 
This kept on for some time, and then Tim 
took up the harp, the stool, and the bee, and 
put them into his pocket. In a second, every- 
thing quieted down. Tim’s mother, how- 
ever, kept on laughing for some minutes. 
Finally she stopped, and then she grew very 
angry. 

“ What a foolish bargain you've made ! " 
she cried. “ Here we are without food or 
money, and you have traded the red cow for 
such worthless toys! Oh, what shall I do} 
You must go back to the fair and sell the 


HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 113 

white cow, I suppose. See that you keep 
your wits about you this time.'’ 

Early next morning Timothy started to the 
fair, driving the white cow. They soon ar- 
rived, and there in the main road he saw a 
big crowd gathered. He pushed forward to 
see what was going on. In the middle of 
the ring stood the little man with twinkling 
eyes. His mouth was screwed up in a very 
queer way, and he was whistling. The mouse 
and the cockroach were dancing an Irish jig ; 
bowing, reeling, scraping, courtesying in the 
finest manner. Tim’s heart beat fast at the 
sight. Soon everybody and everything in 
the fair began to imitate the movements of 
the queer little creatures. Men and women, 
youths and maidens, pots and pans, carts and 
gigs, all hopped about and jigged exactly like 
the mouse and the cockroach ; even the stalls 
and the buildings seemed to hop up and down 
in time with the music. In a little while the 
tiny man stopped whistling, picked up the 
little animals, and put them into his pocket. 
Then there was no more dancing, but every- 


1 14 HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 

body burst into a hearty roar of laughter. 
How they did laugh ! The little man now 
spied Tim. 

“ Ah, my lad,” he said, “ wouldn’t you 
like to own those wonderful little creatures ? ” 
“ Indeed I should, sir, but I have no 
money,” said Tim, shaking his head. 

“ Oh ! that makes no difference. I’ll trade 
with you again. Give me the old white cow, 
and I’ll give you the mouse.” 

“ Indeed I can’t, sir. Mother is so sad be- 
cause we can’t pay our rent or buy any food. 
I must get money to pay the landlord,” re- 
plied Tim, looking longingly at the little 
man’s pocket. 

“ Oh, stuff and nonsense ! Better be light- 
hearted than rich ! What will cheer her like 
the sight of my little gentleman mouse danc- 
ing to the music of your musician, the bee ? ” 
“ All right, sir,” answered Tim, meekly, 
and he traded the white cow for the mouse. 

When he reached home, his mother cried 
out, You’ve sold the cow, my boy ? ” 

“ Yes, mother.” 


HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 


I15 

‘‘ How much money did you get ? ’’ 

Timothy said not one word, but took the 
mouse, the harp, and the bee out of his 
pocket and put them on the floor. Tim be- 
gan to whistle. The bee accompanied him 
with beautiful chords on the harp. After a 
grand sweeping bow the mouse fell into a 
gay Irish jig. Soon everything in the house 
seemed to be hopping and jigging about. 
Even Tim and his mother could not hold 
their feet still. In a little while Tim took 
up the mouse, the bee, and the harp and put 
them into his pocket. Then everything 
quieted down except the peals of laughter 
which his mother could not stop. She 
laughed and laughed until her sides ached. 
After some time she began to look serious ; 
then she grew very, very angry. 

“ Tim, you are the most foolish boy in the 
whole world,” she began. “ How could you 
take such worthless toys for our fine old white 
cow ? Oh, dear. What shall I do ? There 
is no money, and the landlord will turn us 
out. The old spotted cow must go, I see. 


Ii6 HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 

Take her to the fair to-morrow and see you 
bring back nothing but money.” 

“ ril do that mother,” said Tim. His in- 
tentions were good, but alas ! when he 
reached the fair, there was the little man 
again with the cockroach. He was whis- 
tling merrily and the whole fair went jigging 
and dancing about, all led by the lively cock- 
roach. Soon the little man put the tiny, 
graceful dancer into his pocket. Then, as 
before, the dancing stopped. But the 
laughter ! You should have heard the merry 
peals in every direction. 

“Ha, my boy! Here again! You've 
brought me the spotted cow, I see ! Good ! 
You ought to have the cockroach to com- 
plete your wonders. Take her along.” 

“ But, sir, 1 promised mother,” began Tim, 
“that — ” 

“ See her pretty bright dress. Master 
Mouse and she make a charming couple. 
How your mother will be cheered when she 
sees them dancing together. There is no 
sight like it. Here you are.” Carefully he 


HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 117 


lifted the cockroach, and Tim could not re- 
sist the offer of such a wonderful little 
creature. He put her into his pocket, and 
the little man disappeared with the spotted 
cow. 

Tim hurried home. He slipped into the 
house. He took out of his pocket Miss 
Cockroach, Master Mouse, Musician Bee, 
the harp, and the stool, and arranged them 
in a corner of the room, telling them to re- 
main quiet until he came back. Then he 
went into the kitchen. 

“ Tim, my boy,” cried the mother, “ how 
much money did you get?” 

‘‘ Mother,” replied Tim, “ don’t talk about 
money. Come with me.” 

He led her into the next room. The 
minute they entered, Tim began to whistle. 
The bee joined him with a lively tune on the 
harp ; the mouse made a deep bow, hat in 
hand, and the cockroach courtesied most grace- 
fully. Then the two danced toward each 
other and began a real Irish jig, keeping ex-, 
cellent time to the music. Everything in the 


Ii8 HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 


house joined in the merriment, pots and pans, 
chairs and tables, forks and spoons, all went 
hopping and jigging about in the most 
comical way. Tim clapped his hands. His 
mother nodded her head in time with the 
music and a broad smile spread over her face, 
although she tried and tried to frown. Finally 
Tim took up the tiny dancers, the musician, 
and the harp, and put them into his pocket. 
In an instant everything quieted down. 
Theh how Tim’s mother did laugh ! She 
laughed until the tears streamed down her 
cheeks. After some time she quieted her- 
self ; then she frowned and grew very angry. 

“ Oh ! you foolish, foolish boy,” she began; 
“ you’ve traded away all my cows for those 
worthless things. Where shall I get money 
to pay the rent ? We are much worse off than 
before. Oh, dear ! Oh, dear ! ” 

Tim couldn’t bear to hear her cry, and so 
he took his hat and hastened out of doors. 
He was strolling down the lane toward the 
^distant hills when suddenly he saw a tiny 
woman who held up her finger in a very 


HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 119 

mysterious way. Tim politely raised his hat 
and bowed. 

“ Good morning ! she said pleasantly. “ I 
thought all gallant youths were at the palace 
of the king.” 

‘‘ And why should they be there ? ” asked 
Tim astonished. 

“ Oh, haven’t you heard that the king is in 
great trouble about his beautiful daughter, the 
princess ? She is so sad and downhearted that 
the court physicians fear she will die. She 
hasn’t laughed for years, and the king has sent 
word throughout the land that he will give 
the princess in marriage to any youth who 
can make her laugh three times.” 

Tim didn’t wait to hear another word. He 
darted away and ran as fast as he could to the 
palace. After a time he reached the outer 
gates, and told the guards who were stationed 
there why he had come. 

‘‘You had better think twice before you 
try,” said one of them, “ for the king casts all 
who fail into a dungeon.” 

“ No matter, I shall try,” said Timothy. 


120 HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 

Word was sent to the king that a new suitor 
had arrived at the palace. The king com- 
manded the newcomer to appear immediately. 

“ You know the penalty if you fail to make 
the princess laugh three times ? ’’ said his 
majesty. 

“ I do, most gracious sire,’’ replied Tim, 
bowing very humbly. 

“ Then, in a short time, be ready to make 
your trial.” With a gesture the king dismissed 
him. 

In a few minutes a messenger brought word 
that the king, the queen, the sad princess, and 
attendants were ready for the trial. Tim took 
out of his pocket the mouse, the cockroach, 
the bee, the harp, and the stool. He tied 
them all together with a long string. Then 
he marched into the king’s room, holding the 
end of the string in his hand. All the queer 
menagerie followed after him. He looked so 
comical as he approached that the king, the 
queen, and the courtiers burst into a hearty 
laugh. This made the princess lift her 
bowed head and look. When her eyes fell 


HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 12 1 


on Tim and his string of queer little followers, 
she threw back her head and laughed heartily. 

“ That’s once,” nodded Tim. 

Then he untied the string. Musician Bee 
at once took his place on the stool near the 
harp. Mr. Mouse made his deepest bow. 
Miss Cockroach courtesied deep and long. 
Tim began to whistle. The bee tuned the 
harp and joined him with silvery chords. 
The mouse and the cockroach stepped grace- 
fully in time to the music until they came 
near each other. Then they began to perform 
their merry Irish jig. The sight was too 
much for the king and queen and courtiers. 
They all burst into such a merry laugh that the 
castle walls rang. The princess tried to look 
serious but she couldn’t ! She joined the 
others and they all laughed heartily. 

“ That’s twice,” said Tim smiling. 

Then he began to whistle faster ; the bee 
followed him in time. The mouse and the 
cockroach bowed and jigged and reeled and 
whirled, — all to no purpose. The king, queen, 
and courtiers laughed heartily, but the princess 


122 HOW TIMOTHY WON THE PRINCESS 


kept a grave expression. Finally the mouse 
whirled around on one heel three times, and 
on the last turn his tail swept right into the 
cockroach’s mouth. The cockroach started to 
cough violently. She coughed and coughed, 
and took out her tiny bit of a handkerchief 
to hold to her mouth. When the princess 
and her ladies saw this, they threw back their 
heads and shrieked with laughter. 

“ That’s thrice,” said Timothy. ‘‘ I’ve 
won the Princess.” 

The king now ordered the courtiers to take 
Timothy to a royal dressing room. There he 
was dressed in a satin suit with gold lace trim- 
mings and beautiful ornaments. He looked 
so handsome in his new clothes that the 
Princess fell in love with him. A glorious 
wedding feast was prepared. Timothy’s 
mother came in a wonderful coach drawn by 
six beautiful white horses. At the wedding, 
the bee furnished the music ; the mouse and 
the cockroach led the dancing ; and such was 
the merriment that the peals of laughter are 
still ringing in the valley around the palace. 


THE OVERTURNED CART 

NE day, as Oh-I-Am, the 
wizard, went over Three- 
Tree Common, his shoe 
became untied, and he 
bent down to refasten it. 
Then he saw Wry-Face, 
the gnome, hiding among 
the bracken and looking 
as mischievous as anything. In one hand he 
held a white fluff-feather. Now these feathers 
are as light as anything, and will blow in the 
wind; and whatever they are placed under, 
whether light or heavy, they are bound to 
topple over as soon as the wind blows. 

As Oh-I-Am tied his shoe he saw Wry- 
Face place his fluff-feather carefully in the 
roadway, and at the same moment there came 
along One-Eye, the potato wife, with her cart 
full of potatoes. The cart went rumble. 



[23 


124 


THE OVERTURNED CART 


crumble, crack, crack, crack, over the leaves 
and twigs, and One-Eye sang to her donkey : 

“ Steady, steady. 

We’re always ready, — ’’ 

in a most cheerful voice. 

Then the cart came to the fluff-feather, and 
over it went — crash, bang, splutter ; and the 
potatoes flew everywhere, like rain. 

Wry-Face, the gnome, laughed to himself so 
that he ached, and he rolled over the ground 
with mirth. Then he flew away, laughing 
as he went. 

But One- Eye, the potato wife, was not laugh- 
ing. Her tears went drip-drip as she started 
to gather her potatoes together. And as to 
getting her cart straight again, she did not 
know how she was to do it. 

But, when she turned round from gathering 
together the potatoes, she found that the cart 
was all right again, since Oh-I-Am the wizard 
had straightened it for her, and the donkey 
was standing on his legs, none the worse for 
his fall. 


THE OVERTURNED CART 


125 


Oh-I-Am looked stern and straight in his 
brown robe which trailed behind him. He said, 

“ One-Eye, have you got all your potatoes 
together ? ” 

One-Eye still wept. She said, “No, I have 
not found all of them, for some have wandered 
far. And I must not seek further, for this is 
market day, and I must away to the town.” 

And she began to gather up the potatoes, 
and drop them into the cart, thud, thud, thud. 

Oh-I-Am stooped then, and he, too, gathered 
up the potatoes ; and he threw them into the 
cart, splish, splash, splutter ! 

“ Alas ! ” said One-Eye, “ if you throw 
them into the cart, splish, splash, splutter, you 
will bruise and break them. You must throw 
them in gently, thud, thud, thud.” 

So Oh-I-Am held back his anger, and he 
threw the potatoes in gently, thud, thud, thud. 
But, when the potato wife had gone on her 
way, he flew to his Brown House by the Brown 
Bramble; and he began to weave a spell. 

He put into it a potato, and a grain of earth, 
and a down from a pillow, and a pearl and an 


126 


THE OVERTURNED CART 


apple pip from a pie. And when the spell 
was ready, he lay down, and fell asleep. 

Wry-Face had gone round to all the 
neighbors to tell them the grand joke about 
One-Eye, the potato wife. Sometimes he 
told it through the window, and sometimes 
he stood at the door. Sometimes he told it 
to a gnome who was fine and feathery, and 
sometimes to one who was making bread. 
But all the time he laughed, laughed, 
laughed, till he was scarcely fit to stand. 

Now he did not call at Oh-I-Am’s fine 
house to tell hiniy not he ! And it was quite 
unnecessary, since Oh-I-Am knew the joke 
already, every bit. 

Oh-I-Am had hidden the spell in his cup- 
board. When it was evening time, he stole 
out and laid it by Wry^Face’s door. Then 
he went home, and went to bed. 

Wry-Face was making a pie for his supper. 
Suddenly the room became as dark as dark. 
The darkness was not night coming on, for 
this was summer time and night never came 
on as quickly as all that. 










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THE OVERTURNED CART 


129 

“Dear me, what can be the matter?” 
thought Wry-Face; for he could barely see 
to finish making his pie. 

Then he heard a little voice from his 
window, crying, “ Here I am, Wry-Face, 
here I am ! ” But he could not go out to see 
what it was yet awhile. 

When the apple pie was finished and in the 
oven, Wry-Face ran outside as fast as he could. 
But he did not see the spell which Oh-I-Am 
had placed by his door. 

What he did see was a great potato plant 
which had sprung up suddenly close to his 
window, and was springing up further still, 
high, high, and higher. 

“ Good gracious me ! ” cried Wry-Face in a 
rage, “ I never planted a potato plant there, not 
in my whole life! Now I should just like to 
know what you are doing by my window ? ” 
The potato plant took no norice, but went on 
climbing high, high, and higher, and, ever so 
far above, he heard a tiny faint voice crying, 

“ Here I am, Wry-Face, here I am ! ” 
“Well, I never did 1 ” cried Wry-Face, and 


skinner’s merry tales — 8 


130 THE OVERTURNED CART 

he began to weep ; for he saw that the potato 
plant would climb up to his roof and round 
his chimney and he would never be able to 
get rid of it. 

And he wept and wept. 

At last he went in, and took his pie out of 
the oven, and set it in the pantry, for it was 
quite done. And he found a spade, and went 
out, and began to dig and dig at the root of 
the potato plant. But his digging did not 
seem to make any difference, and the evening 
began to grow darker. 

Wry-Face fetched his little lamp, which is 
named Bright Beauty and which always burns 
without flickering. Then he went on dig- 
ging, and he dug and dug and dug. 

And when he had dug for hours and hours, 
so that he was very, very tired, the potato 
plant began suddenly to dwindle and dwindle. 
It dwindled as fast as anything, the leaves 
disappeared and the stem disappeared and all 
the horrid stretching arms. They sank down, 
down, and down, till at last there was nothing 
left at all but — a big brown potato ! 


THE OVERTURNED CART 13 1 

“ Well, I do declare ! ’’ cried Wry-Face. 
“ I should like to know what you have to do 
with my fine garden/' 

The potato replied, “ I jumped here from 
the cart of One-Eye, the potato wife, and it 
is quite certain that unless I am taken back 
to her immediately, I shall start again, grow- 
ing and growing and growing." 

Dear potato, you must not start growing 
again," cried Wry-Face, in a great way. 
‘‘To-night I am so tired, I cannot do any- 
thing, but if you will but wait till to-morrow 
I will take you back to One-Eye, the potato 
wife- — I will, indeed." 

At first the potato would not listen to this 
at all ; but after a while it said, “ Well, well, 
I will wait till to-morrow. But remember, 
if you do not carry me home to One-Eye, the 
potato wife, to-morrow, I shall grow into a 
potato tree^ without a cjoubt." 

So Wry-Face carried the potato into his 
house, and stored it in his bin. But he never 
noticed the spell which Oh-I-Am had placed 
by his door. 


132 


THE OVERTURNED CART 


“ I am so tired, I can scarcely yawn,” said 
Wry-Face. ‘‘ It is quite time for me to have 
my supper and go to bed.” 

So he fetched the apple pie from the pantry 
and set it upon the table, and presently he sat 
down to his meal. 

And he forgot for a moment how tired he 
was, thinking how delightful it was to sit 
down to a supper of apple pie. 

Then he lifted his knife and fork to cut 
off a large piece, but alas, the fork stuck fast. 
As for the knife, it would not move either, 
not an inch. Wry-Face began to weep.' 

“Alack, what has happened to my apple pie ? ” 
cried he, and his tears fell, round as round. 

Then he got upon his feet, and he caught 
hold of the knife and fork and pulled and 
pulled and pulled. And with the last pull 
the top of the apple pie came off, sticking to 
the knife and fork, and Wry-Face saw that 
within the pie there was not one piece of 
apple, but — a big brown potato ! 

Wry-Face wept again with horror at the 
sight. 


THE OVERTURNED CART 133 

“ I should like to know,” cried he, ‘‘ what 
you are doing in my fine apple pie ? ” 

The brown potato replied, as cool as cool, 
“ I am one of the potatoes belonging to One- 
Eye, the potato wife, and I turned the apples 
out, that I might hide here awhile. But this 
I must tell you, Wry-Face, unless you take 
me home to the potato wife immediately, 
here, in this pie dish, I intend to remain.” 

“ Alas ! ” cried Wry-Face, “ to-night I am 
so tired L could never find One-Eye; but if you 
will but wait till to-morrow, I will carry you 
home to the potato wife — I will, indeed.” 

At first the potato would not agree to 
this at all, but after a while it said, ‘‘Very 
well, I will wait till to-morrow. But remem- 
ber, my Wry-Face, if you do not carry me 
home to One-Eye to-morrow, I will creep into 
every pie you make ; and you will die at last 
of starvation without a doubt.” 

So Wry-Face stored the potato in the po- 
tato bin and went supperless to bed. And he 
knew nothing of the spell which Oh-I-Am 
had placed by his door. 


134 


THE OVERTURNED CART 


Now he got into bed, and thought he 
would go to sleep ; but oh, how hard the 
mattress was ! Wry-Face lay this way, then 
that, but no matter which way he lay, he 
found a great hump just beneath him which 
was as hard as hard, and as nobbly as could be. 

Wry-Face tossed and tossed till it was 
nearly morning ; and his bones were so sore 
that he could lie no longer. 

Then he pulled the mattress from the bed 
and cut a great hole in it, and when he had 
searched and searched he found in the middle 
of the mattress — a big brown potato ! 

“This,” cried Wry-Face, “is why I have 
not slept the whole night through ! ” And he 
wept like anything. 

But the potato was as cool as cool. 

“ I belong,” it said, “ to One- Eye, the po- 
tato wife ; and let me tell you, my little 
gnome, unless you take me to her immedi- 
ately, I shall climb into your mattress again, 
and there I shall remain.” 

“ Alas,” cried Wry-Face, “ I have tossed 
about for hours and hours and am too tired 


THE OVERTURNED CART 


135 


to do anything. But if you will wait till to- 
morrow, dear potato, I will carry you to One- 
Eye, the potato wife — I will, indeed.’’ 

At first the potato was unwilling to listen 
to this, but after a while it said, ‘‘ Very well, 
then, I will wait till the morning. But this 
much I know, my Wry-Face, if you do not 
carry me then to One-Eye, the potato wife, 
I shall get into your mattress and you shall 
roll again every night, 

So Wry-Face put the potato in the bin. 
When he had done that he went to bed, and 
slept and slept. 

When the sun was shining he awoke, and 
he remembered that he had to carry the po- 
tatoes back to One-Eye, the potato wife ; and 
he was as cross as anything. 

‘‘Well, I suppose I must,” he said. And 
when he had had his breakfast, he went to his 
cupboard to get a sack. 

Then he found that his sack was full of 
pearls which he had gathered together for 
Heigh-Heavy, the giant, whose daughter, 
So-Small, he wished to marry. 


136 


THE OVERTURNED CART 


So he thought, ‘‘ First of all I will carry 
the pearls to Heigh-Heavy, for that is more 
important/’ And away he went with the sack 
upon his. back. And he never saw the spell 
which Oh-I-Am had placed beside his door. 

When he reached the Most Enormous 
House of Heigh-Heavy, the Giant, there the 
giant was sitting in his parlor lacing his shoes. 

So Wry-Face cried out in a gay little voice, 
“ Here I am, Heigh-Heavy, here I am. And 
here is a bag of pearls which I have brought 
you in exchange for your beautiful daughter, 
So-Small.” 

When Heigh-Heavy heard this, he stopped 
lacing his shoes, and said, “ You must bring 
me in exchange for my daughter So-Small as 
many pearls as will cover my palm.” 

Then Wry-Face ran forward and he tipped 
up the sack ; and, standing high upon his toes, 
he shook out all that it held into the hand of 
Heigh-Heavy, the Giant. 

Now all that it held was — one brown 
potato ! 

Wry-Face the gnome stared and stared and 


THE OVERTURNED CART 


137 


Stared, his eyes growing rounder and rounder; 
but he had no time to weep, on account of 
Heigh-Heavy the giant who had fallen into a 
rage terrible to see. 

Now there is one thing quite certain,” 
said Heigh-Heavy, “ and that is that you shall 
never marry my daughter So-Small, for, my 
Wry-Face, I will turn you into a brown po- 
tato, and a brown potato you shall remain your 
whole life through.” 

When Wry-Face heard this terrible threat 
he took to his heels, and ran from the Most 
Enormous House of Heigh-Heavy, the giant. 
He ran, and ran, till his coat was torn and his 
ears were red ; and he never rested till he 
reached his cottage door, and got inside. 

Heigh-Heavy laughed till he cried to see 
the little gnome run. “ He will play no 
tricks on me ! said he. And he went in and 
shut the door. 

But Wry-Face said to himself, as he carried 
the potatoes, weeping, to the potato- wife *. 

“ I will never play a trick on anyone 
again, not as long as I live ! ” 


CHANTICLEER 


NCE upon a time a 
widow and her two 
daughters lived in a little 
cottage near a grove. 
They were so poor that 
it took the most careful 
managing to earn a 
humble living. Their 
meals were very simple ; indeed, they often had 
nothing but milk and brown bread, and once 
in a while a bit of bacon and an egg or two. 

Around the cottage was a henyard, fenced 
in with sticks and a dry ditch, and here the 
old widow kept a handsome rooster called 
Chanticleer. His match for crowing could 
not be found ; his voice was merrier than the 
merry organ heard in the church on Mass days, 
and the wonder of it was one could tell the 
hour of the day by his crowing ! His comb 
138 




CHANTICLEER 


139 


was redder than fine coral, and all notched 
like a castle wall. His bill was black and 
shone like jet, his legs and his toes were like 
azure, his nails whiter than the lily flower, 
and his feathers the color of burnished gold. 

Chanticleer lived a happy life. He had 
with him seven plump wives, all very much 
like him in color, but by far the cheeriest 
companion among them was Demoiselle Part- 
let, who was not only beautiful but also wise 
and courteous. Chanticleer loved her dearly. 
What joy it was to hear them sing together 
at sunrise, 

“ My love is far away.’’ 

Early one morning when Chanticleer and 
his seven hens sat on the perch, Partlet, who 
was beside her lord, heard a loud groan. 
“ My dear,” she said, astonished and alarmed, 
“ what can be the matter with you ? For 
shame, to wake us all up in this way ! ” 

“ Madam,” replied the rooster, do not be 
anxious about me. It was only a dream, but 
it has frightened me almost beyond words. I 
thought I was roaming up and down the yard. 


140 


CHANTICLEER 


when suddenly I saw a beast somewhat like a 
hound ready to spring at me. He was between 
yellow and red in color, his tail and ears were 
tipped with black, his nose was small and his 
eyes glowed like fire. I almost died of fright ! 
That is what made me groan.” 

“ Fie for shame ! ” retorted Partlet. “ Do 
you admit to your love that anything could 
fill your heart with fear ? Alas! Alas! You 
know that dreams mean nothing. Let me 
explain what causes them. Overeating creates 
too much black humor, and in consequence 
one is likely to dream that black bears, 
or black bulls, or even devils will catch him. 
Then again, if one has too much red humor 
he may dream of arrows, of fire with red 
blazes, or of great and small whelps that will 
bite. I could go on, but further talk is un- 
necessary. Dearest, when we fly down from 
these rafters I will point out to you herbs and 
berries that will cure you ; also for a day or 
two you shall have a light diet of worms. 
Cheer up, I say, and in a little while all will 
be well. Should this occur again, remember 


CHANTICLEER 


141 

the words of the wise Cato: ‘Take no heed 
of dreams ! ’ ” 

“ Thank you for your excellent advice, my 
dear,’’ replied Chanticleer. “ I know that 
Cato had much wisdom, but I can give you 
examples of other very wise men who did not 
agree with him. Do you not remember the 
story of Daniel in the Old Testament ? Did 
he think dreams mean nothing ? Also read 
the story of Joseph and you will see that a 
dream held warnings of future things. Recall 
for a moment Pharaoh, King of Egypt, his 
baker and his butler ! See what they thought 
about the meaning of dreams. Wonderful 
stories on this subject I could point out to 
you, so do not be surprised that this dream of 
mine makes me anxious. But now, my dearest 
Partlet, let us talk about merrier things, for, 
when I see the beauty of your face and the 
lovely scarlet hue about your eyes, all my fears 
leave me. 1 am so full of joy and comfort in 
your company that I forget dreams.” 

Daybreak had come and the rooster and his 
seven wives flew down from the perch. 


142 


CHANTICLEER 


“ Cluck ! Cluck ! ’’ he called gayly when he 
found a tidbit in the yard. Behold Chanti- 
cleer in all his glory ! Brave as a lion, he 
roamed proudly on his tiptoes up and down 
the henyard, never dreaming that an enemy 
was watching him with cunning interest. 

Now it happened that a wicked fox had 
lived for three years in the grove near the 
cottage. All this time he had been watching 
his chance to fall upon the handsome rooster. 
During the night of Chanticleer’s dream, the 
fox had pushed slyly through the hedge into 
the garden and had carefully hidden himself 
among the vegetables. 

The sun was shining gloriously ! Partlet 
and her sisters were bathing merrily in the 
warm sand ! Gallant Chanticleer, singing 
merrier than a mermaid, was watching a butter- 
fly flitting about in the sunshine among the 
herbs when suddenly his eye caught sight of 
the fox lying low among the leaves ! Terror 
seized him. The song died in his throat. 
‘‘ Cok ! Cok!” he gasped. In a moment 
he would have fled, but the fox began right 


CHANTICLEER 


143 


away to speak to him in a very persuasive 
tone. 

‘‘ Gentle sir, I hope you are not afraid of 
me, your own good friend. Certainly I should 
be worse than a fiend if I harmed you. 
Indeed I did not come here to spy upon you, 
but, pardon me, to hear your glorious voice. 
No angel in heaven could sing sweeter than 
you do. How well I remember my lord, 
your father, and my lady, your honorable 
mother. They have been guests at my house 
many times. Shall I ever again hear a voice 
as beautiful as your father’s when he greeted 
the sunrise ! I remember exactly how he 
looked. He stood on his tiptoes, shut his 
eyes tightly, stretched out his long slender 
neck and then poured forth his glorious song. 
He was indeed a wonder. Also, he was very 
wise and careful. I have heard it said that no 
one could surpass him in song or wisdom. I 
wonder, kind sir, if your voice is as beautiful 
as your father’s. For sweet charity’s sake, will 
you not sing one song for me and let me 
compare the two voices ? 


144 


CHANTICLEER 


How could Chanticleer refuse one so kind 
and courteous ? He began to flap his wings. 
He stood on tiptoe. He closed his eyes. 
He stretched his long, slender neck and began 
to crow. Snap ! In a twinkling the fox 
seized Chanticleer by the throat, swung him 
across his back, and was off to the woods with 
him. 

Never was there such a commotion ! The 
hens screamed and cried pitifully. Partlet 
shrieked at the top of her voice. This 
brought the widow and her daughters to the 
door, and then they saw the wicked fox with 
Chanticleer across his back making for the 
wood. “ Help ! Help ! A fox! A fox!'’ they 
cried, and started after him as fast as they could 
go. Men snatched up sticks and joined them. 
The dog Coll ran yelping and barking. Mal- 
kin started with the distaff in her hand. The 
cow and the calf ran. The hogs, frightened 
at the loud barking of the dogs and the 
screaming of the people, set up a vSquealing 
like fiends and followed in the chase. The 
ducks quacked as if they were being murdered. 






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(146) 



CHANTICLEER 


147 


the geese in terror took flight over the tree 
tops. The hideous deafening noise started a 
swarm of bees forth from their hive. Soon 
other people followed with horns of brass, 
wood, and bone. They blew, they bellowed, 
they cried, they screamed, they whooped, they 
shrieked, and made such a bedlam that it seemed 
the very heavens would fall. And on ran the 
fox with the rooster on his back. 

Now Chanticleer in all his breathless ter- 
ror was rapidly turning over in his mind how 
he could help his friends to rescue him. Con- 
trolling his fright as best he could, he said, 

‘‘ Sir, if I were you, Pd scoff at these fol- 
lo\yers. Say to them, ‘Turn back you proud 
churls ! A plague upon you ! The rooster 
is mine and Pll soon be where I can eat 
him.’ ” 

“ In faith,” replied the fox, “ Pll do what 
you say.” As soon as the fox opened his mouth. 
Chanticleer flew high up into a tree which 
stood near. Now the fox saw his mistake, but 
was not ready to give up. 

“ Alas, alas. Chanticleer,” he began, “ I’ve 


skinner’s merry tales — 9 


148 


CHANTICLEER 


done you a great wrong. I seized you and 
carried you entirely too roughly. Forgive me 
for frightening you. Come now, fly down a 
moment and let me explain.’’ 

“‘No thank you,” crowed Chanticleer. 
“ Your flattery will not catch me a second time, 
and make me sing again with my eyes closed. 
For no good can come to anyone who closes 
his eyes when they should be open.” 

“ Bad luck to the one who talks when he 
should hold his peace,” grumbled the fox. 


THE JACKAL AND THE 
ALLIGATOR 


LITTLE Jackal, who 
was very fond of crabs and 
bits of fish and whatever 
else he could find, went 
down to the riverside 
one morning in search 
of something for his 
dinner. He ran up and down the bank, here 
and there, but he could find nothing to eat. 
At last, near some tall bulrushes and under 
clear, shallow water he saw a little crab who 
was sidling along as fast as his legs could carry 
him. The little jackal was so very hungry 
that, without looking, he put his paw into 
the water after the crab. “ Snap ! ’’ A great 
big alligator who lived in the river, had the 
paw in his jaws. 

“ Oh, dear,” thought the little jackal, ‘‘ a 



149 


150 THE JACKAL AND THE ALLIGATOR 

big alligator has my paw in his mouth. In 
another minute he will drag me down under 
the water and swallow me. What can I 
do ? ’’ Then a thought came to the little 
jackal, “ ril fool that old alligator and get 
away from him.’’ So he called out in a very 
cheerful voice, ‘‘ Clever Alligator ! Clever 
Alligator ! To catch hold of that bulrush root 
for my paw ! I hope you will find it very 
tender.” 

The old alligator was so hidden among the 
bulrushes that he could scarcely see anything. 
On hearing the little jackal call out he said to 
himself, “ Dear me, I thought I had caught 
hold of the jackal’s paw ; but there he is call- 
ing out in a cheerful voice. I suppose I 
have made a mistake.” So saying he opened 
his mouth and let the little jackal go. 

The jackal ran away as fast as he could. 
When he was at a safe distance he called out, 
“ O wise Alligator ! O wise Alligator ! So 
you let me go again.” The alligator was 
very angry, but the little jackal had run too 
far away to be caught. 


THE JACKAL AND THE ALLIGATOR 151 

The next day the jackal returned to the 
riverside to get his dinner as before. The 
old alligator was nowhere to be seen, but 
the little jackal thought it best not to take 
any chances, so he called out, ‘‘ Wherever I 
go to look for my dinner, I search for the 
nice little fat crabs that come peeping up 
through the mud. Then I put my paw down 
and catch them. I wish I could see one 
now.’’ 

The old alligator was down in the mud at 
the bottom of the river, and he heard every 
word the jackal said. He thought to himself, 
“ Aha ! I’ll just show the tip of my nose up 
through the mud. He’ll take it for a little 
fat crab and put his paw in to catch me. As 
soon as he does so. I’ll gobble him up ! ” So 
he popped the little point of his nose out of 
the mud and waited. No sooner did the 
jackal see the tip of the alligator’s nose than 
he called out, “ O Friend Alligator, so there 
you are. No dinner for me here, thank you.” 
And off he ran and fished for his dinner a 
long, long way from that place. The old 


152 THE JACKAL AND THE ALLIGATOR 

alligator snapped his jaws again and again. 
He was very angry at missing his dinner a 
second time, and he made up his mind not to 
let the jackal escape again. 

The following day, the little jackal went 
down to the waterside as usual to look for 
crabs. He was rather afraid to go too near 
the river’s edge, for he felt sure the old enemy 
was hiding somewhere. So he stayed back 
at a safe distance and called out, 

“ Where are all the little crabs gone ? 
There is not one here and I am very hungry. 
When I don’t see them on the shore or peep- 
ing up through the mud I see them blowing 
bubble, bubble, bubble, and all the little 
bubbles go pop I pop ! pop ! ” The old alli- 
gator lying low in the mud heard this and he 
said to himself, “ I can fool that little jackal 
easy enough this time. I’ll pretend to be a 
little crab.” Then he began to blow, puff, 
puff! Bubble, bubble, bubble ! And all the 
great bubbles rushed to the top of the river, 
and burst there, and the water whirled and 
whirled round and round just above the place 


THE JACKAL AND THE ALLIGATOR 153 


where the old alligator lay hidden. It didn’t 
take the jackal long to know who was under- 
neath those bubbles, and off he ran, as fast as 
he could go, calling out, 

“ Thank you, kind Alligator, thank you, 
thank you ! Indeed it is very kind of you to 
show me just where you are.” 

The old alligator was furious at being de- 
ceived by the little jackal once more. “ Next 
time I will be very cunning,” he said. So, 
for a long time he waited and waited for the 
jackal to come to the riverside, but the jackal 
never returned. 

“ I shall be caught and eaten by that wicked 
old alligator some day if I am not careful. I 
must content myself to do without crabs.” He 
went no more to the river, but stayed in the 
jungle and ate wild figs and roots which he 
dug up with his paws. 

When the alligator found this out he was 
angry again, and he determined to try to 
catch the jackal on land. So he crawled over 
the ground to a place where the largest of the 
wild fig trees grew. He made a great heap 


154 the jackal and the alligator 

of the fallen figs and hid himself under it, and 
there he waited for the jackal. No sooner 
did the cunning little animal spy the great 
pile of figs than he thought, “ Oh, ho, that 
looks much like my friend the alligator. I’ll 
see.” So he called out, 

‘‘ The little wild figs I like best always 
tumble down from the tree, and roll here 
and there as the wind drives them. That 
great heap of figs is quite still. They can 
not be good figs. I will not eat one of 
them.” 

The old alligator thought, “ Oh, ho ! How 
suspicious this jackal is. I will make the figs 
roll about a little, then he will come and eat 
them.” 

So the great beast shook himself and all the 
little figs went roll, roll, roll, this way and that, 
farther than the most blustering wind could 
have driven them. The jackal knew who 
was under the heap. Away he scampered, 
calling back, Thank you, Mr. Alligator, 
for letting me know you are there ! I should 
scarcely have guessed it.” The alligator hear- 


THE JACKAL AND THE ALLIGATOR 155 


ing this was so angry that he ran after the 
jackal, but the jackal ran away too quickly 
to be caught. 

The old alligator was now in a rage. “ 1 
will not’ let him make fun of me another time 
and then run away out of my reach. I will 
show him I can be more cunning than he 
thinks,’' he declared. 

Early the next morning he crawled as fast 
as he could till he came to the little jackal’s 
den. The jackal was away, and so he crept 
in and hid himself to wait until the little 
animal should return. By and by the jackal 
came home. He looked all about the place, 
for the ground around his house was torn up 
as though some very heavy animal had been 
crawling there. 

“ Dear me,” he said. Then he saw that the 
earth on each side of the door of his den had 
been knocked down as if something very big 
had tried to squeeze through it. 

“ I certainly will not go inside until I know 
who has gone in there.” So he called out, 
“ Little house, why do you not give me an an- 


156 THE JACKAL AND THE ALLIGATOR 

swer when I call ? You always call out to me 
if all is safe and right. Is anything wrong 
that you do not speak ? ” 

Then the alligator who was inside thought, 
“ I must pretend to be the little house and call 
out. He will not come in unless he thinks 
all is right in here.’’ So he called out in 
as pleasant a voice as he could, “ Sweet little 
Jackal.” When the little jackal heard that 
he was frightened indeed. 

So that dreadful old alligator is in my 
house. I must try to kill him if I can, or 
he will certainly make an end of me some 
day.” 

Then he answered, “ Thank you, my dear 
little house. I like to hear your pretty voice. 
I am coming in a minute, but first I must 
collect some firewood to cook my dinner.” 
As fast as he could, he gathered all the dry 
branches and bits of sticks and piled them up 
close to the mouth of the den. The old alli- 
gator inside kept as quiet as a mouse, but he 
could not help laughing a little to himself, 
“ So I have deceived that little jackal at last. 


THE JACKAL AND THE ALLIGATOR 157 

In a few minutes he will run in here, and then, 
won’t I snap him up ! ” 

When the jackal had gathered as many 
sticks as he could find, he ran back and placed 
the sticks all round the outside of his den. 
Then he set fire to them. The great fire 
blazed up, and the smoke filled the den and 
smothered that wicked old alligator. 


FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 


INN O’SHEA’S grand- 
mother knew more about 
fairies than anyone else in 
the village. One after- 
noon when the sun was 
shining on the tops of the 
Nine Hills, which rose 
up a few fields beyond the 
edge of the village, Finn and his grandmother 
were coming home from a walk. Suddenly 
the old woman darted forward and picked up 
the tiniest bit of a gray feather. Her sharp eyes 
had spied it under the shadow of a foxglove. 

“ What is it. Granny ?” asked Finn. 

“ An owl’s feather, lad. It fell out of one of 
their wee red caps,” said she, laughing quietly. 
“ They had a fine revel in the fields last night, 
my boy, for it was Midsummer Eve. That 
is the time when the wee folks are gayest, 
you know.” 



158 


FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 159 

‘‘ I wish I could see them dancing,” said 
Finn. 

‘‘ Ah, my lad, no mortal can see them so 
long as they keep their wee red caps on,” 
said grandmother. ‘‘ Sometimes in their 
revels they toss their caps aside, but you see 
the frogs are always on the lookout to warn 
the fairies if mortal steps are near. These 
tiny elves are very clever. Do you see those 
three circles of green which are a little lighter 
in color than the rest of the grass ? That is 
where they danced until the village cocks 
began to crow. Then they made off to the 
•Nine Hills. Ah ! It would be a wonderful 
sight to see the wee folks whirling and gliding 
about in the white moonlight to the sweetest 
fairy music. But as I said, few mortals have 
ever seen them.” 

‘‘ Do they dance every night, grandmother?” 

‘‘ Every night, Finn. If the weather is fine 
they frolic on the green, especially if the moon 
is bright. When the nights are wet and 
stormy they keep inside the hills, where there 
is an elfin village.” 


l6o FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 


Finn look very serious. “ Grandmother/’ 
he said, ‘‘ these wee folk^ must wear out a 
good many pairs of shoes.” 

“ That they do, my lad. Fm sure I don’t 
know what they would do without little Lep- 
rechaun, the Fairy Shoemaker. He is the 
only industrious one among them.” 

‘‘Tell me about him. Granny,” said Finn. 

Grandmother sat down on a large stone 
and looked toward the Nine Hills. 

“ The Fairy Shoemaker is very rich, Finn, 
richer than my lord O’Toole who lives in the 
castle by the sea. Indeed, there is no one in 
all Ireland who has as much gold as this elfin 
shoemaker who spends his days working for 
the fairies. All kinds of shoes he makes, — 
stout little brogans and buskins, high hunting 
boots, bits of satin slippers that you could 
stand on a penny, tiny sandals with silver 
laces and diamond buckles, — all kinds of 
shoes. O Finn, my lad, he is a wonderful 
wee old man.” 

“ Where does he keep his money. Granny ? ” 

“ Why, what a question, my lad ! Do you 


FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER i6l 

think this sly little Elf would let any mortal 
know that secret ? Not he ! ” 

‘‘ I wonder if anyone has ever seen him,” 
said Finn. 

“ My lad, your great-grandmother O’Shea 
knew a poor farmer who found a pot of gold 
buried in one of his fields. The villagers al- 
ways believed that the man had in some way 
caught little Leprechaun, and made him point 
out the spot where his gold was hidden.” 

“ Granny,” said Finn, “ Td like to catch 
the Fairy Shoemaker. One pot of his gold 
would make us very rich, wouldn’t it r ” 

“ Catch little Leprechaun, Finn ! My lad, 
you couldn’t do it.” 

“ He is very tiny, grandmother. I’m sure 
I could hold him easily.” 

“ You would have to catch him, first, Finn. 
He is the trickiest Elf of all. No one can 
see him as long as he wears his wee red cap ! 
And if you should chance to find him without 
it, you wouldn’t dare take your eyes off him 
for one second or away he would go. Some 
people say bad luck is sure to come to mortals 


i 62 FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 


who meddle with the fairies/’ said grand- 
mother, looking about cautiously. “ It is 
better to earn your pot of gold, my lad. But 
come, the sun has gone behind the hills.” 

Finn was very quiet all the way home. 
He was wondering how he could catch the 
Fairy Shoemaker and make the little Elf tell 
where his treasure crocks were hidden. He 
would begin the search in good earnest the 
very next day. 

In the morning when Finn drove the cow 
to the pasture, he peeped carefully among the 
low willows that bordered the brook. He 
looked all around the big stones in the 
meadow. Several times he stopped and 
listened ! Once he felt sure he caught the 
clicking sound of an elfin hammer. It 
seemed to come from the direction of a tall 
ragweed, but when Finn drew near, the sound 
stopped suddenly and he could see nothing. 
Patiently each day he searched for the little 
Leprechaun. One afternoon when he was 
sauntering through a shady glen near the Nine 
Hills he stooped down to quench his thirst at 












FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 165 

a tiny spring of clear water. He fancied he 
heard a faint clicking sound ! “ Tip-tap, tip- 

tap.” Finn raised his head quickly and lis- 
tened ! 

“ Rip-rap-tip-tap 
Tick-a-tack-too ; 

Tip-tap-tip, 

Rip-rap-rip, 

Tick-tack-too.” 

The sound came from behind a large stone 
near the spring. Soon the tapping stopped 
and the shrill voice sang out : 

“ Tip-a tap-tip 
And tick-a-tack-too. 

Every stitch helps 
To finish a shoe.” 

Finn could hear his heart beat. He crept 
cautiously along and peeped around the stone. 
There, on a tiny stool, sat the Fairy Shoemaker 
hammering away at a wee hunting boot of 
scarlet leather, which he held between his 
knees. And his bit of a red cap was hanging 
on a spear of tall grass! Finn leaped to his 


skinner’s merry tales — Ip 


l66 FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 


feet, faced little Leprechaun, seized the red 
cap, and said, “ Good day, sir.” 

Instantly the little Elf jumped up and 
looked sharply through his spectacles at Finn. 
He was about twelve inches tall and his queer 
little face was full of wrinkles. A long gray 
beard reached to the top of a leathern apron 
which almost covered his brown suit. 

“ Good day, sir,” repeated Finn. 

‘‘ Humph ! ” grunted Leprechaun. 

Finn went closer, grasped the little Elf’s 
shoulder, held him tightly, and stared sharply 
at him. 

“ You’d better be off,” said the Fairy Shoe- 
maker ; “ I have work to do.” 

Finn kept his eyes fixed on the wee man, 
and said, “ Come, now, where do you keep 
your treasure crocks ? I shall not let you go 
until you tell me.” 

‘‘ Oh ! Is that all you want ? ” laughed the 
Elf. “ Well, come along with me.” 

Finn was delighted. The old man seemed 
very easy to manage. Leprechaun looked up 
pleasantly and said, “Your pardon, sir.” He 


FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 167 

pulled out a tiny gold snuffbox, took a pinch 
and offered some to Finn. “ Snuff, sir ? ” he 
said with a smile. 

“ Why, how friendly he seems,’’ thought 
Finn, taking a pinch. 

“Pouf-f!!” The Fairy Shoemaker blew 
all the snuff right into Finn’s face. 

“ Tshoo-00 ! — ^Tshoo-00 ! A-a-a-tshoo-00- 
00 ! ” sneeezed Finn, shutting his eyes / In a 
twinkling the wee man had snatched his red 
cap and was gone ! 

Finn went home a little discouraged. 
‘‘ Why didn’t I remember what Granny told 
me about his tricks ? ” he said to himself. 
‘‘ I’ll try again, and he shall not catch me a 
second time.” 

One afternoon a few weeks later, Finn walked 
as far as the Nine Hills. He was very tired, so 
he lay down on one of the grassy slopes to rest. 
How quiet it was on the shady hillside ! 

‘‘ Tip-a-tap-tip 
And tick-a-tack-too. 

Rip-rap-rip 

Tick-tack-too.” 


i68 FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 

The sound came from the crest of the hill. 
After a little pause a shrill voice sang : 

‘‘ A wedding feast to-night 
And dancing on the green ! 

In moonbeams’ silver light 
Gay fairies will be seen ! 

Tiny satin sandals 
To grace the dainty bride ; 

Stitch away Leprechaun 
They must be your pride.” 

It was the voice of little Leprechaun ! The 
Fairy Shoemaker was working away near the 
crest of the hill. Finn crept up the grassy 
slope, and there in the shadow of some low 
bushes sat the tiny Elf. He was putting a 
high heel on the daintiest white satin sandal. 
And beside him lay his wee red cap ! 

“ Tip-tap-rip-rap 
Tick-a-tack-too.” 

The elfin hammer was working busily — 
busily ! 

Finn slipped up quietly, and grasping the 
red cap in one hand laid hold of the wee 


FINN. AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 169 


man’s shoulder with the other. Up jumped 
the Elf. He looked round quickly for his cap. 

“ Good day, sir,” said Finn. 

Leprechaun made a deep bow. 

“ You are busy, I see.” 

“ Always busy, sir,” answered the wee man. 
‘‘ Always busy.” 

‘‘ I suppose you like to make shoes, especially 
such dainty ones?” And all the time Finn 
kept his eyes on the little Elf’s face and held 
him fast. 

“ I like to work,'' said the Fairy Shoemaker 
slyly. “ Come, now, do you ? ” 

Finn felt a little confused at this last ques- 
tion, but he answered, 

“ You have plenty of gold and some to 
spare, I should think. Come, tell me where 
you keep your treasure crocks.” 

“ I will show you where I keep one of 
them,” answered Leprechaun. 

‘‘ All right,” answered Finn. If you’ll 
lead me to the spot where one crock of gold 
is buried. I’ll not bother you again.” 

‘‘ Come, then,” said the Elf. 


170 FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 

“ Mind that you keep your snuffbox in 
your pocket/’ said Finn. “You shan’t catch 
me that way again.” 

“ This way,” laughed the wee man. 

Down the hillside and over the fields 
hurried the Fairy Shoemaker, leading Finn 
along at a good pace. It was wonderful to 
see this queer Elf skip across the ditches and 
hedges, and hop over the stones and rough 
places in the meadow. Finn was becoming very 
tired. “How much farther is it ? ” he asked. 

“ Come along, come along,” laughed little 
Leprechaun. 

Finally they came to a field full of ragweed. 
The Fairy Shoemaker stopped suddenly. 
Then pointing with his tiny finger, he said, 
“ If you dig deep under the roots of this weed, 
you’ll find one of my treasure crocks filled to 
the brim with gold.” 

“ But I can’t dig without a spade,” said 
Finn excitedly. 

“ Of course not,” answered Leprechaun. 
“ But now that you know the spot you can 
get the gold whenever you like.” 


FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 171 


“ I shall get it to-day/’ said Finn. “ I’ll 
run home now and get my spade. But I’d 
better mark the weed, I think.” 

That would be a good plan,” said the 
Shoemaker. “ Here I have a bit of bright 
red string in my pocket. Let us tie it around 
the stem near the top.” 

How deftly the elfin fingers tied the mark ! 

“ Thank you very kindly,” said Finn. 

“ Is there anything else I can do for you, 
sir ? ” asked Leprechaun. 

‘‘ You will promise not to touch the string ?” 

“ I promise not to touch it, sir. Also I as- 
sure you no one else shall touch it,” said 
Leprechaun. 

‘‘ Well, then, you may go. Here is your 
red cap. I thank you very much for your 
kindness. Good day ! ” said Finn pleasantly. 

‘‘ Good day, sir,” said the Fairy Shoemaker^ 
and off he scampered, chuckling to himself. 

You may be sure Finn hurried away to fetch 
his spade. How surprised Granny would be 
to hear that he had caught the Fairy Shoe- 
maker. He would not tell her until he 


172 FINN AND THE FAIRY SHOEMAKER 

carried home the treasure. In breathless haste 
he got his spade and hurried back to the field 
of ragweed. Then Finn stood still and 
looked ! A bit of bright red string was tied 
around every ragweed in the field ! The 
Fairy Shoemaker had tricked him again ! 
He thought he heard a low chuckling laugh. 
Finn listened carefully. From among the 
weeds he heard a faint voice singing, 

“ How does the little Leprechaun 
Fill treasure crocks with gold? 

The live long day he works away 
From far-off times of old.” 


MAKING THE BEST OF IT 


HAT a pretty day this is! ’’ 
said the old gray goose to 
the brown hen, as they 
stood at the henhouse 
window and watched the 

falling snow which cov- 
ered every nook and 

corner of the farmyard. 
“Yes, indeed,” said the brown hen; “I 
would be almost willing to be made into 
chicken pie on such a day.” 

She had scarcely stopped talking, when the 
Pekin duck said, fretfully, “ I am dreadfully 
hungry ,” and a little flock of speckled chickens 
all huddled together wailed in sad chorus, 

“ And we’re so thirsty ! ” 

In fact, the feathered folks in the henhouse 
were very much inclined to be cross and dis- 



173 


174 MAKING THE BEST OF IT 

contented. Since the farmer’s boy fed them, 
early in the morning, they had been given 
nothing to eat or drink, and, as hour after 
hour went by, and the cold winter wind 
howled around their house, it is no wonder 
they felt deserted. 

The handsome white rooster, however, ap- 
peared quite as happy as usual, and that is say- 
ing a great deal, for a jollier, better-natured 
old fellow than he never graced a farmyard. 
Sunshine, rain, or snow were all the same to 
him, and he crowed quite as lustily in stormy 
weather as in fair. 

“ Well,” he said, laughing heartily, as his 
bright eyes glanced about the henhouse, ‘‘you 
all seem to be having a fit of the dumps.” 

Nobody answered the white rooster, but a 
^ faint cluck or two came from some hens 
who immediately put their heads back under 
their wings, as if ashamed of having spoken 
at all. 

This was quite too much for the white 
rooster, who, standing first on one yellow foot 
and then on the other, said : “ Well, we are a 


MAKING THE BEST OE IT 175 

lively set ! Anyone would think, to look in 
here, that we were surrounded by a band of 
hungry foxes/’ 

Just then a daring little white bantam 
rooster hopped down from his perch, and, 
strutting pompously over to the big rooster, 
created quite a stir among the feathered folk 
by saying, 

“ We’re all lively enough when our crops 
are full, but when we’re starving the wonder 
is that we can hold our heads up at all. If I 
ever see that farmer’s boy again. I’ll — I’ll 
peck his foot ! ” 

‘‘ You won’t see him until he feeds us,” said 
the white rooster, “ and then I think you will 
peck his corn.” 

‘‘ Oh, oh ! ” moaned the brown hen, don’t 
mention a peck of corn.” 

‘‘ Madam,” remarked the white rooster, 
bowing politely, “ your trouble is my own — 
that is. I’m hungry, too. But we might be 
worse off ; we might be on our way to market 
in a box. Then, too, suppose we haven’t had 
enough to eat to-day, at least we have room 


176 


MAKING THE BEST OF IT 


enough to stretch our wings and a good, quiet 
place to sleep in.” 

Why, that is a fact,” answered the brown 
hen; and all the feathered family — the smallest 
chickens included — stretched their wings, 
preened their feathers, and looked a trifle more 
animated. 

‘‘ Now then,” went on the rooster, “ suppose 
we have a little music to cheer us and help 
pass the hours until roosting time. We will 
all crow — there, I beg your pardon, ladies ; I 
am sorry you can’t crow — we will sing a merry 
song. Will you be kind enough to start a 
lively tune, Mrs. Brown Hen ?” 

The brown hen shook herself proudly, 
tossed her head back, and began : ‘‘ Cut-cut- 
cut-ca-dak-cut,” and in less than two minutes 
every one in the henhouse had' joined her. 

Now the horses, cows, and sheep were not 
far away, and, hearing the happy voices in the 
henhouse, they, too, joined in the grand chorus, 
while the pigs did their best to sing louder 
than all the rest. Higher and higher, stronger 
and stronger, rose the chorus ; louder and 


MAKING THE BEST OF IT 


177 


louder quacked the ducks, and shriller and 
shriller squealed the pigs. At length even 
the dogs barked merrily. 

They were all so happy that they quite for- 
got their hunger until the door of the henhouse 
burst open, and in came three chubby children, 
each carrying a dish full of steaming chicken 
food. 

“ Don't stop your music, Mr. Rooster," said 
the little girl, who was so snugly bundled up 
that you could scarcely see her dear little face. 
“ You see, we were so lonesome that we didn't 
know what to do ; but when we heard all you 
folks singing out here in your house, we 
laughed and laughed until we almost cried. 
Then we went to tell Jack about you ; he was 
lonesome, too — poor Jack sick with a sore 
throat — and he said, ‘ Why, those poor hens; 
they haven't been fed since morning ! ' " 

“ Cock-a-doodle-do ! " said the white rooster. 
‘‘ This comes of making the best of things. 
Cock-a-doodle-do ! " And nobody asked him 
to stop his crowing. 


THE BROWNIE OF BLEDNOCK 


ID you ever hear how a 
Brownie came to the 
village of Blednock and 
was frightened away 
again ? 

It was one November 
evening, just when the 
milking was done and 
before the children were put to bed. The 
people of the village were standing by their 
doorsteps talking about their bad harvest and 
the turnips, and what chances there were of a 
good price for their cattle at the coming fair. 

All at once the queerest humming noise 
seemed to come up from the riverside. It 
came nearer and nearer, and all the good people 
stopped talking and began to look down the 
road. And, indeed, it was no wonder that 
they stared, for there, coming up the middle 
178 



THE BROWNIE OF BLEDNOCK 


179 


of the highway, was the strangest little creature 
that human eyes had ever seen. 

He looked like a wee, wee man. He had 
a long blue beard which almost touched the 
ground. His legs were twisted, his knees 
knocked together as he walked, and his arms 
were so long that his hands trailed in the mud 
as he came along. He seemed to be humming 
something over and over. As he came nearer, 
the good people of the village could make out 
the words : 

“ Have ye work for Aiken-Drum ? 

Any work for Aiken-Drum ? ’’ 

Oh, how frightened the people were ! The 
children screamed and hid their faces in their 
mothers’ gowns and the milkmaids threw down 
the pails of milk they were carrying. Even 
the dogs crept in behind the doors, whining 
and hiding their tails between their legs. 
Some of the men who were not too frightened 
to look the wee man in the face, laughed and 
hooted at him. 

“ Did you ever see such eyes ? ” cried one. 

‘‘ His mouth is so big he could swallow the 


i8o THE BROWNIE OF BLEDNOCK 

moon and never even notice it,” said the 
other. 

“ Look at his long blue beard ! ’’ said a third. 

And still the poor little man came slowly 
up the road, crying : 

“ Have ye work for Aiken-Drum } 

Any work for Aiken-Drum ? ” 

Good Grannie Duncan, the kindest old 
woman in the village, called out at last : “ He’s 
just a Brownie, a simple, kindly Brownie. I’ve 
heard tell of Brownies before. Many a long 
day’s work will they do for the people who 
treat them well.” 

Gathering courage from her words, all the 
village folk crowded around the little man. 
When they were close to him, they saw that 
his face was kind and gentle and that his tiny 
eyes had a merry twinkle in them. 

“ Strange little creature,” said an old man, 
‘‘ tell us what you want and where you came 
from ? ” 

‘‘ I cannot well tell thee whence I came,” 
said the wee man. “ My country is a name- 
less land and is very different from this land 











f'^pA \ 'A4-' 


U W'-'/ 






1 ^ 




'•^ >v * ' '^' 




THE BROWNIE OF BLEDNOCK 


183 


of yours. For there we all learn to serve, 
while here every one wishes to be served. 
When there is no work for us to do at home, 
we sometimes set out to visit thy land to see 
if there is any work we can do there. If 
thou wilt, I will stay here awhile. I do not 
wish anyone to wait on me, for I want no 
wages, nor clothes, nor bedding. All I ask for 
is a corner of the barn to sleep in, and a bowl 
of broth set down on the floor at bedtime. 
If no one meddles with me, I shall be ready to 
help any one who needs me. I’ll gather your 
sheep on the hill. I’ll take in the harvest by 
moonlight. I’ll sing your bairns to sleep in 
their cradles. You’ll find that the bairns 
all love Aiken-Drum. And, good housewives. 
I’ll churn for you and bake your bread on a 
busy day. The men folk, too, may find me 
useful when there is corn to thrash, or untamed 
colts in the stables, or when the waters are 
out in flood.” 

No one knew quite what to say in answer to 
the little creature’s strange request. It was an 
unheard-of thing for anyone to come and offer 


skinner’s merry tales — II 


1 84 THE BROWNIE OF BLEDNOCK 

his services for nothing. Some thought it 
could not be true ; others said it were better 
to have nothing to do with the little creature. 

Then up spoke good Grannie Duncan again : 

“ He’s but a Brownie, I tell you, a harm- 
less Brownie. Many a story I’ve heard in my 
young days about the work that a Brownie 
can do, if he be treated well and let alone. 
Have we not all been complaining about bad 
times, small wages, and the hard work we all 
have to do ? And now, when a workman 
comes ready to your hand, you will have noth- 
ing to do with him just because he is strange 
looking. And I’ve heard that .a Brownie can 
stalk a whole ten-acre field in a single night ! 
Shame on you, say I ! ” 

“ A ten-acre field in a single night ! ’’ cried 
out all the men of the village at once. ‘‘ A 
ten-acre field ! ” repeated one. “ And in a 
single night !” added another. That settled 
the matter. The miller at once offered the 
Brownie a corner of his barn to sleep in, and 
good Grannie Duncan promised to make him 
some broth at bedtime and to send her grand- 


THE BROWNIE OF BLEDNOCK 185 

child, wee Janie, down to the barn with it 
every evening. Then all the people of the 
village said, “ Good night, and went to their 
homes. But they were careful to look over 
their shoulders once in a while, for fear that 
the strange little man was following them. 

But if they were afraid of him that night, 
they had a very different story to tell about 
him before a week had passed. Whatever he 
was or wherever he came from, he was the 
most wonderful little worker that these people 
had ever known. And the strange thing was 
that he did most of the work at night. Village 
folk came from all parts of the countryside to 
catch a glimpse of this queer little worker, 
but they were never successful, for he was never 
to be seen when one looked for him. They 
might have gone to the miller’s barn twenty 
times a day, and twenty times a day they would 
have found nothing but a heap of straw and 
an empty broth bowl. 

But whenever there was work to be done, 
whether it was a tired child to be sung to, or 
a house to be made tidy, or a batch of bread 


1 86 THE BROWNIE OF BLEDNOCK 

to be worked up, or a flock of sheep to be 
gathered together on a stormy night, Aiken- 
Drum always knew of it and appeared ready 
to help just at the right time. 

Many a time some poor mother who had 
been up all night with a crying child would' 
sit down with it on her lap in front of the fire 
in the morning and fall asleep. When she 
awoke she would find that Aiken-Drum had 
made a visit to her house ; for the floor would 
be scrubbed and the dishes washed, the fire 
made up and the kettle put on to boil. But 
the little Brownie would have slipped away as 
if he were afraid of being thanked. 

The little children were the only ones who 
ever saw him when he was not working, and, 
oh, how they loved him ! When school was 
out you could see them away down by the 
stream crowding around the little dark brown 
figure, and you could hear the sound of low, 
sweet singing ; for Aiken-Drum knew all the 
songs that children love well. 

By and by the name of Aiken-Drum came 
to be a household word among the good people 


THE BROWNIE OF BLEDNOCK 187 

of the village, for, although they seldom saw 
him near at hand, they loved him like one of 
their own people. 

And he would never have gone away if 
every one in the village had remembered what 
good Grannie Duncan told them about Brown- 
ies. “ A Brownie works for love,’’ she had 
said to them over and over again. “ He will 
not work for pay. If anyone tries to pay him, 
the wee creature’s feelings will be hurt, afid he 
will vanish in the night.” 

But a good man of the village and his wife 
forgot all that had been said, and one day they 
planned to make something for Aiken-Drum. 

“ He should not work for nothing,” said 
the good man. 

‘‘He has already worn out his coat and 
trousers slaving for us,” said his wife. 

So one day they made him a little pair of 
green trousers and a little brown coat. That 
night the two good people laid a parcel by 
the side of the bowl of broth in the miller’s 
barn. 

In the middle of the night some one heard 


i88 


THE BROWNIE OF BLEDNOCK 


the Brownie saying to himself, ‘‘ A nice pair 
of green trousers and a little brown coat for 
me. I can come here no more till one of the 
children of this village travels the world over 
and finds me first."’ 

So this strange little creature had to go 
away. He vanished in the night as any 
Brownie is sure to do if some one tries to pay 
him. 

And all the good people of Blednock talked 
of the kind deeds of the little strange man 
who came one evening into their midst, and 
they wondered and wondered if he would ever 
come back to them again. 


HOW OLAF BROUGHT THE 
BROWNIE BACK 


ID you ever hear how 
Olaf, one of the village 
• children, went in search 
of the Brownie and 
brought him back to the 
good people of Blednock ? 

It came about in this 
way. 

Olaf’s father had often told him of the 
Brownie that had once lived in the village 
and had helped all the village people to do 
their work. 

‘‘ The little lively thing would come night 
after night and- clean the floor, and scrub the 
table, and wash the dishes, and keep the 
whole house as clean as a new pin. But one 
night he went away and he never came back.” 

‘‘ Why did he go away, father ? ” asked 
Olaf. 



189 


190 H0W‘ OLAF BROUGHT THE BROWNIE BACK 

“Well,” said his father, “there's great 
pride in Brownies. They'll work their 
fingers off for love, but you must never thank 
them, nor give them anything, or away they 
will go. Good Grannie Duncan had told us 
that over and over again, but your mother 
and I forgot all about her wise words. We 
thought that the little thing ought not to 
work for nothing. So we bought a piece of 
green cloth and a piece of brown cloth and 
your mother sat up all night cutting and 
stitching. By morning she had made as neat 
a pair of little trousers and as fine a coat as 
ever she made for you. 

“ That night we laid the clothes in a little 
parcel beside the bowl of broth, and we heard 
the little thing saying to himself: 

“‘A nice pair of green trousers and a little 
brown coat for me. I can come here no 
more — no more — till one of the children of 
the village travels the world over and finds 
me first.' 

“ And the strange little creature vanished 
in the night and no one has seen or heard 


HOW OLAF BROUGHT THE BROWNIE BACK 191 


of him since though we have missed him 
very, very much.” 

Olaf thought about the Brownie all day. 
He felt that, although the world away from 
the village might be very dangerous, he was 
quite willing to travel in it if, by so doing, 
he could bring the Brownie back to Blednock. 

Olaf asked each person in the village where 
to find the Brownie. Also, he asked the 
oldest apple tree in the orchard, but it said 
nothing. He asked the cows, but they said 
nothing. He asked the dog, but he barked 
about other things. Only the sheep helped 
him. They said nothing, but they looked as 
if they knew. Olaf tended the sheep and 
the young lambs throughout the year, and 
he wondered and wondered if the lambs 
learned from the old sheep where the Brownie 
was hidden. 

“ I will not come back until a child of this 
village travels the world over and finds me 
first, — travels the world over and finds me 
first,” Olaf kept saying to himself over and 
over. 


192 HOW OLAF BROUGHT THE BROWNIE BACK 

At last one summer evening, as he was 
coming home from the sheepfolds, he heard 
the faint sound of bagpipes very near. He 
heard it again the next night, and the next, 
and the night after that, and every night, 
until, at last, he made up his mind to follow 
the sound and find out who it was that played 
the pipes so sweetly. 

He left the sheep path and followed the 
music, walking carefully lest he should lose 
it. The soft sweet notes seemed to come from 
a mass of rocks which lay on the moor behind 
him. As he came near the rocks he knew the 
music was directly above it, so he started to 
climb up. Halfway up the path was easy to 
climb, and he soon won his way up to a little 
tree which thrust itself out of the side of the 
pile. He twisted himself over the tree and 
rested there, wondering how he could get up 
the rest of the way, for he saw six feet of 
smooth rock up to the top. 

All the time the music of the bagpipes, 
scarcely louder than a concert of bees and 
crickets, sounded close above his head. “ Oho, 


HOW OLAF BROUGHT THE BROWNIE BACK 193 

there ! ’’ shouted Olaf at last. The music 
stopped suddenly. A little brown face with 
a long blue beard looked eagerly over the top 
of the rocks. 

“ So it is you, is it ? ” said a voice. ‘‘ Here, 
take hold of my wrist and then pull.” 

Olaf caught sight of a long brown arm 
stretched down toward him. He caught 
hold of the wrist and pulled, and the next 
moment Olaf found himself scrambling over 
a thick mass of heather on to the top of the 
rocks. He lay sprawling on the edge of a little 
cleft in the rock with high walls on the sides. 
In one of these walls there was a little cave, 
and just in front of the cave was a little three- 
legged stool that had been upset, and a little 
set of bagpipes was lying on the ground be- 
side it. 

‘‘So here you are!” said the little brown 
creature as he helped Olaf to his feet. “ Tve 
been waiting for you a long time. Look 1 ” 
He ran into the cave and came out dragging 
a broom behind him, and holding a stone so 
polished that even in the dim light Olaf 


194 HOW OLAF BROUGHT THE BROWNIE BACK 

could see his face in it. And Olaf wondered 
and wondered. 

“ Look ! Pve worn out two hundred and 
thirty of these brooms, and polished that 
rough stone smooth — all for want of proper 
work, since I had to leave the village.’’ 

“ Are you the Brownie ? ” asked Olaf, joy- 
fully. 

“ Yes,” was the answer. 

“ Are you Aiken-Drum .? ” 

“Yes,” came the answer again. 

“ I’ve been looking for you ever since I 
can remember. That was why the sheep 
knew, — because you live on the moor.” 

“Yes,” said the Brownie, “the sheep 
know me.” 

“ Will you come back to the village, now ? ” 
asked Olaf. 

“ Not yet,” said the Brownie. “You and I 
must travel the world together. Then I’ll 
go back. Your father should have known 
better than to pay a Brownie. He should 
have known that we work for love. Here 
I have been all this time wearing out brooms 


HOW OLAF BROUGHT THE BROWNIE BACK 195 


on these rocks and polishing a stone, waiting 
for the village child to find me. And you’ve 
come ! ” said the Brownie, as he danced into 
the cave. He soon returned carrying a little 
wooden cage with a big cockroach inside. 
He opened the cage and took the cockroach 
on his finger. 

“You’ve found me,” he kept saying, 
“ you’ve found me ! Now there’s nothing left 
but the travels. Fly, cockroach,” he cried, 
“ fly fast and straight, and tell my brothers 
that Olaf has come. Tell them to launch 
the boat. Tell them we are coming — Olaf 
and I.” 

He let the cockroach fly from his hand 
and it boomed away in the still air of the 
summer night. Olaf heard a kr-r-r-r-r-r in 
the pine woods. It might, he thought, be 
the Brownies launching the little boat. 

And that is how Olaf found the Brownie 
and came to make his travels with him. 
They sailed away — away to Glittering Har- 
bor where great ships lay close together in 
the golden sunset ; they won the marvelous 


196 HOW OLAF BROUGHT THE BROWNIE BACK 

horse and they found the white flower that 
can be bought only for love — like the 
Brownies’ services. 

By and by their travels were over and 
Aiken-Drum returned with Olaf to the village 
of Blednock. And that is why the kitchen 
floors of these village people are so wonder- 
fully scrubbed and why the pans shine 
brighter than those in any other kitchens of 
the country side. And Aiken-Drum has a 
merry life as he scrubs the pans and washes 
the dishes, and he is very, very happy to know 
that he will never be paid for it. 


THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 


LL alone in a very old 
cottage near the border 
of a village lived a little 
girl who herded turkeys 
for a living. She was 
very, very poor. Her 
clothes were patched and 
tattered. Little was ever 
given to her except the food she lived on 
from day to day, and now and then a piece 
of old worn-out clothing. 

But the child had a winning face and 
bright eyes. She had also a very loving dis- 
position. She was always kind to the turkeys 
which she drove to and from the plains every 
day, giving to them the affection she longed 
for but which she herself never received from 
anyone. The turkeys loved their little mis- 
tress in return. They would come immedi- 



197 


198 THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 

ately at her call and they would go willingly 
anywhere she wished to send them. 

One day as the little girl went along, driv- 
ing her turkeys to the plains, she heard a great 
commotion in the village. She stopped to see 
the cause of the excitement and found it to 
be a herald who was proclaiming from the 
house top, “ The great festival will take place 
in four days. Come youths and maidens. 
Come one, come all. Join in the Dance of 
the Sacred Bird ! ” 

Now this child had never been permitted 
to join in or even watch this great festivity of 
the people, and she longed with all her heart 
to see it. 

“ My dear turkeys, how I should love to 
watch this blessed festival, particularly the 
Dance of the Sacred Bird ! ” It was her cus- 
tom to talk matters over with her turkeys, for 
they were the child’s only companions. She 
told them day after day of the wonderful 
festival that was to be, and how happy she 
would feel if she could join in the dance 
with the others. “ But it is impossible, my 






THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 


201 


beloved turkeys, ugly and ill-clad as I am,’’ 
she would say, when she saw the people of 
the village busy in cleaning their houses and 
preparing their clothes, laughing and talking 
as they made ready for the greatest holiday 
of the year. 

The poor child never dreamed that her 
turkeys understood every word she said to 
them. But they did, and more. 

The fourth day came, and all the people of 
the village went to join in the festivities. All 
but one, and that one was the poor little 
turkey girl who wandered about alone with 
her beloved flock. Soon she sat down upon 
a stone to rest, for she was sad at the thought 
of all the merrymaking while she was alone 
on the plains. 

Suddenly it seemed to the little girl that 
one of her big gobblers, making a fan of his 
tail, and skirts of his wings, strutted up to 
her and, stretching out his neck said, “ Little 
Mother, we know what your thoughts and 
wishes are and we are truly sorry for you. 
We wish that you, like all the other people 

skinner’s merry tales — 12 


202 


THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 


of the village, might enjoy this holiday. 
Many times we have said to ourselves at 
night, after you had safely placed us in our 
house, that you are as worthy to enjoy these 
gayeties as anyone in the village. Little 
Mother, would you like to see this dance and 
even join in it and be merry with the rest ? ” 

Thepoor child was at first surprised, then it all 
seemed so very natural that her turkeys should 
talk to her as she had always done to them, 
that she looked up and said, “ My dear Gob- 
bler, how glad I am that we may speak to- 
gether. But tell me what it all means.” 

“ Listen well, then, for I speak the speech 
of my people. If you will drive us in early 
this afternoon, when the dance is most gay 
and the people are happiest, we will help you 
to make yourself so pretty and so beauti- 
fully dressed that no man, woman, or child 
among all those assembled at the dance will 
know you. Are you willing to do as we 
turkeys say ? ” 

“ Oh, my dear turkeys, why should you 
tell me of things that you well know I long 


THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 


203 


to do but cannot by any possible means in the 
world ? ” 

• ‘‘ Trust in us,” said the old gobbler. “ When 
we begin to call and gobble and gobble and 
turn toward home, follow us and we will show 
you what we can do for you. Only let me 
tell you one thing. Much happiness and good 
fortune may come to you through the chance 
for pleasure which we turkeys are going to 
give you. But if, through your own great 
happiness, you forget us, who are your friends 
and who depend so much upon you, we shall 
think that our Little Mother, though so humble 
and poor, deserves her hard life. We shall 
think that, since good fortune came to her, she 
does unto others as others now do to her.” 

“ Come, then,” said the old gobbler, and the 
little girl followed him. All the turkeys of 
their own accord followed the old gobbler 
and their Little Mother homeward. They 
knew their places well and ran to them as 
soon as they could. When they had all gone 
into their home the old gobbler called out, 
‘‘ Come in.” The little girl went in. “ Now 


204 AHE poor little turkey girl, 

sit down and give me and my companions 
your articles of clothing one by one. You 
will see what we can do with them.” 

The little girl took off the ragged old shawl 
that covered her shoulders and laid it upon 
the ground in front of the old gobbler. He 
seized it in his beak and spread it out. Then 
he picked and picked at it and trod upon it, 
and, lowering his wings, strutted back and 
forth, back and forth over the old worn-out 
garment. Once more he took it in his beak 
and strutted and puffed and puffed and strutted, 
until he finally laid it at the feet of the little 
girl — a beautiful white cloak, all silk-em- 
broidered. 

Then another gobbler came forward and 
took an article of the little girl’s clothing 
which he made over into a beautiful gown of 
golden cloth. Then another gobbler came, 
and another and another, until each garment 
the little girl had worn was new and more 
beautiful than any owned by the richest 
woman of the land. 

The little girl began to dress herself in the 


THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 205 

beautiful clothes, but before she finished her 
turkeys circled around her, singing and singing 
and clucking and clucking, and brushing her 
with their wings until she was clean and her 
face was as smooth and bright as that of the 
fairest maiden in the village. Her hair was 
soft and wavy and her cheeks were full of 
dimples and her eyes danced with smiles, for 
now she knew how true were the words of her 
beloved turkeys. At last one old turkey 
came forward and said, ‘‘ You shall have rich 
jewels. Little Mother ; we turkeys have keen 
eyes and have picked up many valuable things 
in our wanderings. Wait a moment.” He 
spread out his wings and strutted off, but he 
soon returned with a beautiful necklace in his 
beak. ‘‘See, this is for you.” The little girl 
could scarcely believe her own eyes. “ And 
this, too,” said another turkey, as he came up 
and laid a pair of earrings in her hand. 

With these beautiful things the Little 
Mother decorated herself and, after thanking 
her beloved turkeys again and again, she started 
to go. As she did so all the turkeys seemed to 


2o6 the poor little TURKEY GIRL 


call out in one voice : “ Oh, Little Mother, 
we love you and we would bring you to good 
fortune. Leave our door open, for who knows 
whether you will remember your turkeys when 
your fortunes are changed. Perhaps you will 
grow ashamed that you have been our Little 
Mother. Remember us and do not tarry too 
long.” 

“ I will surely remember, O my turkeys,’’ 
and with that she was on her way to the great 
festival. Hastily she ran down the river path 
toward the village until she came to a long 
covered way that led into the great dance 
court. When she came just inside the court 
she could see the crowd of villagers making 
merry in the great dance. She drew nearer 
as if to join the others, when every eye at once 
seemed to catch sight of her beauty and the 
richness of her dress. ‘‘ Who is this beautiful 
maiden ?” they asked one another. ‘‘Where 
did she come from ? ” 

“ She is the most beautiful maiden I have 
ever seen,” said a prince. “ She shall lead the 
dance with me.” 


THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 


207 

With a smile and a toss of her hair over her 
eyes the little girl accepted the prince’s in- 
vitation and stepped forward into the circle. 
Her heart became light and her feet merry, 
and she danced and danced until the sun sank 
low in the west. But alas ! so great was her 
own happiness that she thought little about 
her turkeys at home and her promise to 
them. ‘‘ Why should I go away from all 
this pleasure, to my flock of gobbling tur- 
keys } ” she said to herself. “ I will stay a 
little longer at least. Just before the sun 
sets I’ll run back to them. Then these people 
will never know who I am, and I shall like 
to hear them talk day after day and wonder 
who the little girl was who joined in their 
dance.” 

So the time sped on and another dance was 
called, and another, and never a moment did 
the little girl stop. At last she noticed that 
the sun had set. Then, suddenly breaking 
away, she ran out of the dance court down 
the long covered way, up the river path 
toward home, before any one could see where 


2o8 


THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 


she had gone or which path she had taken. All 
breathless, she arrived at the door of the tur- 
keys’ house and looked in. Not one turkey 
was there. The little girl called and called 
them. She ran into their house, she looked 
around, but not one of her beloved turkeys was 
to be seen. ‘‘ Where are they ? ” she kept say- 
ing to herself, at the same time calling them 
with all the voice she had, ‘‘ Come my tuf- 
keys, come, come.” But there was no answer. 
“ I must trail them. Perhaps they have gone 
back to the plains.” She ran to the plains, 
then on to the valley, but her flock of turkeys 
was far, far away. 

After a long, long trail over the plains, up 
and down the valleys, she came within sound 
of their voices. “ I hear them, I hear my 
turkeys.” Faster and faster ran the little girl 
until she caught sight of her beloved flock 
hurrying away toward the woods, round the 
mountain and on up the valley. She could 
hear them saying something over and over 
again. As she drew nearer she called and 
called to them, but it was all of no use. 


THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 


209 


They only quickened their steps and spread 
their wings to help them along. “ She has 
forgotten us,” they kept saying. “She is not 
worthy of better things than those she has 
been accustomed to. Let us go to the moun- 
tains. Our Little Mother is not as good and 
true as we once thought her.” Then they 
spread their wings and fluttered away over the 
plains above and were soon lost from sight. 
The poor little turkey girl put her hands over 
her face, then she looked down at her dress. 
Alas ! what did she see ? Her old clothes, 
patched and tattered. She was a poor little 
turkey girl again. Sad at heart she looked 
toward the valley and gave one loud call, 
“ Oh, my turkeys come back to me, come 
back.” 

“ Gobble, gobble, gobble,” she heard beside 
her. The poor little girl sat up, rubbed her 
eyes and looked about her. There were her 
beloved turkeys gathered around her calling 
“ Gobble, gobble, gobble ! ” They wanted to 
go home, for the sun was ready to set and the 
village people were returning from the festival. 


210 


THE POOR LITTLE TURKEY GIRL 


‘‘ Oh, my beloved turkeys,’’ said the little 
girl, when she understood it all. “ I would 
not part with you for all the fine dresses and 
festivals in the whole world. How glad I 
am it was only a dream ! 



The red-legged locust. Oh, my, oh, my ! 
He plays all day. But why ? But why ? 

You rub your legs with your dusty wings ; 
Your fiddle shrieks till the welkin rings; 

On meadow green, through the livelong day. 
You saw and eat till they’re bare and gray 
Zee-e-e, zee-e-, zee-e-e ! 

The green katydid. Dear me, dear me ! 

The finest chap. Just see, just see ; 

You play so hard and you trill so long, 

Your midget wife ne’er can sing a song. 

Still you rub your wings in the drollest way 
While dancing clover blossoms swing and 
sway 

Zig, zig, z-i-g, zig, zig, z-i-g ! 


2II 


212 


MEADOW FIDDLERS 


Cone-headed grasshopper, zip-zee, zip-zee. 
The insects’ clown is he, is he ! 

From Maine o’er plains to the Rockies found. 
With foolscap forehead and shrilling sound. 
From bush and bramble your roundelay 
Comes sharp and clear through the summer 
day, 

Z-szip-zee. Z-szip, z-szip-zee ! 

The wee tree cricket. So free, so free ! 

Sings night and day ! What glee, what glee ! 
Your high held wings make such presto fine 
No human skill can compare with thine; 

So fast, so shrill, and so wondrous gay. 

Such tunes are joy to a dancing fay, 

T-ree-ee, t-re-ee, t-re-ee ! T-re-ee, t-re-ee, 
t-re-ee ! 

Sweet meadow fiddlers, zip, zee, zip, zee ! 
They fill the earth with glee, with glee ! 

We greet your coming with fond delight 
And gayly hie in the sunshine bright. 

Where bees and blossoms and birds all day 
Wing, swing, and sing to your joyful lay. 
Zip-zip-z-ee ! zip-zip-z-ee ! 


CASTLE FORTUNE 


NE fine morning at sun- 
rise, two strong young 
men were sauntering 
along through the fields. 
As they journeyed toward 
the east the gray morning 
mist cleared away in the 
distance, and there on a 
very high hill stood a beautiful castle with 
sparkling windows and glistening towers all 
bathed in the morning light. 

“ Come,” said one of the youths eagerly, 
‘‘ let us go over to it ! ” 

“ What ! ” exclaimed the other, who was 
a lazy fellow, “ do you not know that it is 
miles away ? I am sure I cannot walk so 
far.” 

Try,” said a sweet strange voice. 

On turning about they* saw a lovely fairy 



213 


214 


CASTLE FORTUNE 


dressed in gauzy white, holding a golden 
wand in her hand. She was standing on a 
magic crystal ball which rolled along with 
her toward the distant castle. As she passed 
the travelers, she pointed with her wand 
toward the east smilingly, and said, “Follow 
me!’’ 

“ That would be easy to do,” mumbled the 
lazy youth, “ if one could roll along as you 
do with no effort.” He then threw himself 
down on the grass to rest,. 

His companion, however, started off after 
the fairy as fast as he could run, and catching 
hold of her floating robe he cried, “ Who 
are you ? ” 

“I am Fortune,” she answered. “Yonder 
is my castle. Follow me there. Waste no 
time, and if you reach the castle before mid- 
night I’ll receive you as a friend. But re- 
member 1 If you come one moment after 
the last stroke of midnight, the door will be 
closed against you.” 

With these words the fairy drew her robe 
about her and rolled swiftly on in the morn- 


CASTLE FORTUNE 


215 


ing breeze. And the crystal ball sparkled, 
sparkled in the sunlight. 

The youth now hurried back to his com- 
panion and said breathlessly, “Yonder is the 
Castle of Fortune. Come ! Let us go ! ” 

“ What nonsense ! ’’ said the lazy youth. 
“ With a good horse one might get there 
easily, but for my part I don’t intend to try to 
walk all that way.” 

“ Farewell, then,” said his friend, and away 
he started briskly with his eyes fixed steadily 
on the distant towers. The lazy youth sighed 
wearily and threw himself down on the soft 
grass. “ If only good luck would show me 
an easy way to get there,” he murmured. 
“ How beautiful the castle looks ! ” He then 
stretched himself out and fell fast asleep. In 
a little while he was awakened by something 
like a warm breeze blowing in his ear. He 
slowly rubbed his eyes and yawned aloud. 
Then he heard the neighing of a horse, and 
turning, he saw standing near a beautiful 
milk white steed all saddled and bridled ! 

“ Good luck,” he cried. “ Come here, my 


2i6 


CASTLE FORTUNE 


fine friend. You and I will soon reach the 
castle.” Then he jumped into the saddle 
and started off at a fine gait. 

He soon passed his comrade and called out, 
“ What do you think of my steed ? ” 

The other did not speak, but nodded cheer- 
ily and kept on at a steady pace. 

About midday the horse and rider reached 
the summit of a hill. In the distance the 
castle towers shone brightly against the clear 
blue sky. Presently the horse turned into a 
shady grove on the hillside and stopped. 

“ A very good idea ! ’’ exclaimed the lazy 
man. “ ‘ Make haste slowly ’ is good wisdom. 
This shady slope is a fine place to rest awhile, 
and my appetite is keen enough to enjoy the 
luncheon I have in my pocket.” So, jumping 
off, he found a cool shady, nook and stretched 
himself out on the grass. 

After he had eaten his savory sandwich he 
felt so drowsy that he soon fell into a sound 
sleep. What a pleasant sleep he had! He 
dreamed he was in Castle Fortune resting on 
downy cushions. Every wish he had was 


CASTLE FORTUNE 


217 


granted ! Soft strains of music soothed him, 
while brilliant fireworks all crimson and gold 
were set off in his honor. This continued for 
some time, when suddenly the explosion of a 
beautiful Roman candle awoke him. He sat 
up rubbing his eyes. In the west the sun was 
sinking, and he could hear the song of a 
traveler in the valley below ! “ I must have 

been asleep a long while ! ” he murmured. 
“ It is high time to be off. Ready, my steed ! 
Where are you ? ” 

He whistled and shouted again and again, 
but no steed came. An old bony gray donkey 
browsing on the hilltop was the only creature 
in sight. Better a donkey than nothing,’’ 
the lazy man thought. So he walked slowly 
over to the place where the beast was graz- 
ing, and mounted him. 

After some urging, the donkey set off at a 
slow jog. The lazy man soon found that this 
kind of traveling was very uncomfortable. 
The donkey trudged slowly on. Soon it be- 
gan to grow dark. In the distance he could 
see that the castle was being lighted up. How 


skinner’s merry tales — 13 


2i8 


CASTLE FORTUNE 


beautiful it looked. He was becoming anx- 
ious. If only the donkey would move a little 
faster. But instead he seemed to be going 
slower and slower, slower and slower, until 
in the midst of a thick wood the beast stood 
still and refused to move. The rider coaxed 
and threatened and urged and kicked. It 
was of no use. The donkey refused to move. 
At last the lazy man was thoroughly aroused. 
He struck the beast a hard blow with his fist, 
screaming, “ Get on, I say.’’ Up went the 
donkey’s heels and over his head into the 
briers and stones went the rider. What a 
plight to be in ! He was bruised and sore 
and bewildered. He sat up and tried to col- 
lect his thoughts. Ah ! There in the dis- 
tance the lights were shining in Castle For- 
tune. Oh, for a soft comfortable couch on 
which to rest his aching bones. The stub- 
born old donkey ! Where could he be ? 

He crept about in every direction, hoping 
to find his donkey, but after tearing his clothes 
and bruising himself he gave up the search. 
Suddenly his hand struck something that 


CASTLE FORTUNE 


219 


felt a little like a saddle. It was mounted on 
something soft and slimy. 

He hesitated. Castle Fortune’s clock was 
striking. He counted the strokes. ‘‘ Eleven 
o’clock !” he exclaimed in amazement. He 
threw himself into the queer saddle. “ This 
is rather comfortable,” he exclaimed as he 
leaned against a high back. How slowly 
the creature moved. At last they reached a 
clearing, where a long straight road led di- 
rectly to Castle Fortune with its beautiful 
towers and its windows ablaze with lights. 

The sight of the castle filled him with 
longing. He turned his attention for a 
minute to the strange creature he was riding. 
Horror ! He was mounted on a huge snail, 
quite as large as a calf. No wonder they had 
crept along at a snail’s pace. 

One ! The great clock struck the first 
stroke of the midnight hour. He pushed 
both heels into his steed’s soft sides. In an 
instant the snail drew his head into the shell 
and rolled over on the ground. 

Two ! struck the great clock. Had the 


220 


CASTLE FORTUNE 


lazy man taken to his heels he might even 
now have reached the castle before the last 
stroke of the great clock. But no ! There 
he stood filled with regret and fear. A 
beast ! A beast ! he cried, “ Oh, for any 
kind of a beast to carry me to the castle ! ” 

Three ! What was moving near him } 
Was it the long lost steed ? Without further 
thought he jumped into something like a low 
saddle. His heart leaped as he looked up ! 
There in the open door of Castle Fortune 
stood his friend waving his cap and beckoning 
to him. 

Four ! chimed the great clock. The 
queer steed began to rouse himself. 

Five ! The creature moved slowly for- 
ward. 

Six ! What an awkward steed it was. 

Seven ! Which way were they going ? 

Eight ! What ! Were they moving back- 
ward ? Impossible ! He would jump off and 
run. 

Nine ! To our rider’s great surprise he 
found he was held fast by the creature’s claws 


CASTLE FORTUNE 


221 


which extended on all sides. Horror ! He 
was riding on a giant crab ! 

Ten ! Backward they moved ! 

Eleven ! Farther and farther they were 
going away from the castle. 

TWELVE ! The castle doors shut with a 
clang. Castle Fortune’s doors were closed 
forever to the lazy man. 


A LITTLE DUTCH GARDEN 



I PASSED by a garden, a little Dutch garden, 
Where useful and pretty things grew; 
Heartsease and tomatoes, and pinks and 
potatoes. 

And lilies and onions and rue. 

I saw in that garden, that little Dutch garden, 
A chubby Dutch man with a spade ; 

And a rosy Dutch frau with a shoe like a scow. 
And a flaxen-haired little Dutch maid. 

There grew in that garden, that little Dutch 
garden. 

Blue flag flowers lovely and tall ; 

And early blush roses, and little pink posies. 
And Gretchen was fairer than all. 


222 


A LITTLE DUTCH GARDEN 223 

My heart’s in that garden, that little Dutch 
garden, 

It tumbled right in as I passed, 

’Mid ’wildering mazes of spinach and daisies. 
And Gretchen is holding it fast. 



TRUE FRIENDSHIP 


OWN yonder by the 
thrashing floors, where 
the husbandmen thrash 
out their corn, some 
large black ants once es- 
tablished themselves and 
built their nests. They 
settled themselves in that 
place in order to be near good and whole- 
some food, such as wheat, barley, and maize, 
which they carried off whether the farmers 
liked it or not. 

These ants prospered and became so nu- 
merous that they formed themselves into a 
kingdom, and had their own king. 

The king, who was an old ant, was very 
wise and courageous. As he was a real king, 
he wore a golden crown upon his head and 
held a golden scepter in his hand. 



224 


TRUE FRIENDSHIP 


225 


His crown was a small piece of round gold 
wire, which fitted his head splendidly. His 
soldiers in one of their raids had found it in 
a country maiden’s casket. They took posses- 
sion of it, and presented it to their sovereign. 
In the same way they had come across -the 
scepter, which they saw one day on the 
thrashing floor, and appropriated in like 
manner. It was nothing more than a little 
gold watch key which had dropped off the 
chain of the village steward, but that was of 
no consequence, because as soon as the royal 
hand grasped it, it derived value from that 
circumstance alone. 

The king had his own carriage. It was 
made out of a nutshell, and was drawn by 
two swift and well-harnessed beetles, who, 
like all royal horses, were well trained. The 
king generally drove out, because his majesty 
was now so aged that he had become quite 
white and feeble. 

So you see that he had every blessing, and 
his people loved him very much. But he 
was not happy for he was weary and no longer 


226 


TRUE FRIENDSHIP 


found pleasure in anything. Perhaps this was 
because he had so much. 

One day there was a great tumult in the 
ant kingdom. A regiment of soldiers, which 
had gone out upon an excursion, returned 
after a brilliant victory, and brought back 
great spoils, and also four prisoners. 

The king, from the balcony of his palace, 
with his crown on his head and his scepter in 
his hand, greeted his army as it marched be- 
fore him in great order, saluting him with, 
“ Long live the King ! ” Then he ordered 
that the four prisoners should be brought be- 
fore him, that he might try them. 

The first captive was a spider. 

‘‘ What is your name ? ” asked the king. 

“ Spider,” she answered humbly, and did 
homage with her two forelegs. 

“ Where were you born ? ’’ said the king. 

“ I was born in the mill’s dark cellar.” 

After many other questions the king again 
said, “ What art do you know ? ” 

“ I know how to weave,” said the spider. 
‘‘No one can surpass me in weaving. I am 


TRUE FRIENDSHIP 


227 


the very, very best weaver in the whole wide 
world.’' 

“Good!” said the king. “You shall 
weave some cloth for my palace, and if your 
work is satisfactory, I will set you free ; if 
not, I shall hand you over to my soldiers to 
be cut to pieces. Shut her up in prison and 
let her begin at once.” 

As the king decreed this, he lowered his 
scepter and struck it on the ground, when 
immediately soldiers dragged off the spider 
by her feet, and put her in a cell. 

The second prisoner, which was a bee, was 
then brought forward. The king in like 
manner questioned her. She said her name 
was “Bee,” and did him obeisance. Upon 
his inquiring where she was born, she replied, 
“ In a hive, which was a house built for a 
number of bees to live in.” 

“ Do you know any trade or profession ? ” 
inquired the king. 

“ Certainly, your majesty, I know how to 
make a most delicious food. No one can 


excel me.” 


228 


TRUE FRIENDSHIP 


“Good!” said the king. “You shall 
make all the sweetmeats that are required at 
the forthcoming festival, when the peasants 
spread their thrashing floors. If I am pleased 
with them, I shall release you ; but if not, I 
shall order my soldiers to cut off your head. 
Shut her up in prison, and let her begin at 
once.” 

Again he knocked with his scepter, and 
the detachment of soldiers led the bee off to 
prison. Then the king said : “ Bring in the 
two other prisoners together, that we may 
finish with them ; for I have other business 
of the kingdom on hand.” 

The third and fourth captives were brought 
in together. One was a grasshopper, and the 
other a cricket. 

When they were asked the customary ques- 
tions as to their places of birth, the first re- 
plied, “ At the roots of a bush of thyme.” 
And the other, “ In the air ! ” 

Then the king proceeded with : “ And 
what arts do you know } ” 

“ I know how to sing,” cried the cricket. 


TRUE FRIENDSHIP 


229 


‘‘ And I, how to dance,” said the grass- 
hopper. 

‘‘ Splendid arts, truly, both the one and the 
other,” called out the king in a rage, and he 
knocked with his scepter so loudly that all 
his courtiers and soldiers, as well as the two 
prisoners, were frightened. “ Since you know 
nothing, you are plainly of no use. I shall 
have you cut up, the pair of you.” 

‘‘ Please, your majesty,” said the cricket 
boldly, while the grasshopper trembled with 
fear, “ can we do nothing ? Do we know 
nothing? Because this lady and myself can- 
not weave like the spider or make sweetmeats 
like the bee ? We are worthy people, and 
the whole world loves us. We amuse all the 
insects on both hill and plain ; we make life 
in the long summer days when the sun is hot 
a little less wearisome ; then I sing, and she 
dances, and for those who see and hear us 
time soon passes. Allow us the same privi- 
lege before your majesty, and you can then 
judge if we be deserving of freedom or 
death.” 


230 TRUE FRIENDSHIP 

The king was not hard-hearted, and after 
hearing this plea of the cricket, he said, “ I 
grant your request. I have a little time in 
which to divert myself, and if you can suc- 
ceed in giving me pleasure in a short space of 
time, I will give you both your liberty, and 
grant you each any favor that you may ask.’’ 

He gave orders to release them. The 
cricket then began to sing with all the skill 
that she possessed, and the grasshopper danced 
at the same time. Neither the king nor any 
of his courtiers or soldiers had ever heard so 
sweet a voice, or seen so artistic a dance. His 
majesty was delighted ; his old face beamed 
all over, and he struck merrily with his 
scepter, and shouted:* “Well done! Bravo! 
ril free you — I’ll free you. I only request 
that whenever you have the time or the in- 
clination, you will come and amuse me and 
my subjects a little. Labor is good, but 
life wants some few pleasures also. I told 
you that I would grant you any favor that 
you asked for. Ask now what you will.” 

Then the cricket said pleadingly, “Your 


TRUE FRIENDSHIP 


231 


majesty, I ask this favor — that the poor 
spider may be released.’' 

“You have a good heart,” answered the 
king ; “ be it so.” And he turned to the 
grasshopper. “ And what favor do you ask, 
madam dancer ? ” 

“ May it please your majesty to release the 
bee ? ” 

“ And you, too, have a good heart ; your 
wish is granted.” And the king ordered the 
release of the prisoners. 

They were immediately set free, and all 
the ants conducted them out of the ant hills, 
while the cricket, full of joy, sang along 
the road : 

“ Zi zi zi and zi zi zi. 

May our lord the king live joyfully. 

And all his people as well as he.” 



232 



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